Bad Things Will Always Happen
by AquaDestinysEmbrace
Summary: Anne Marshall, a girl with a dark past. She covers it up with her joyous personality. When something goes wrong, she teams up with a friend to get away from the wretched place she once called 'home'... (Cover image by Flautist4Ever)
1. Horror

**Author Note: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall is property of me**

**Tess Carver is property of Celebrityfan (my thanks to her for letting me put Tess in this story!)**

**Description of Anne: Anne is 14-15 years old. She has long, shaggy brown hair. She has her bangs styled over her right eye. Anne usually wears a black flannel shirt over a black T-shirt with blue jeans. She wears a bandanna that covers her right eye with her bangs. It is currently unknown why she wears the bandanna, but will be revealed later in the story.**

**Now, for the voice behind Anne... Jennifer Lawrence. She has a strong voice.**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

Darkness...

All I see is darkness...

And I'm totally fine with it... Nothing wrong with it when you're asleep.

I slept blissfully until a liquid-like substance hit my face. I jerked awake, screaming, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

I then heard laughter as I sat up, wiping the substance from my eye. When my face was clean, I looked up seeing a woman in her early twenties with blonde hair tied in a side-braid wearing a black tank top, a brown sweat jacket, a green vest, and blue jeans laughing at me. It was Tess Carver, the daughter of the founder and leader of the community, William 'Bill' Carver.

"What the hell, Tess?!" I snapped. Tess wiped away a tear from her eye. "Sorry, I tried waking you up in a different way, but it didn't work. You're a pretty damn heavy sleeper, girl." she remarked as she tossed away a now empty can of Pepsi, which she had just dumped on me. Man, I was drinking that earlier!

"What are you doing in my tent?" I asked, grumbling sligtly. "Just waking you up. You weren't around this morning, so we were starting to wonder where you were at." she explained.

I groaned. "Come on! I was having an awesome dream!" I complained.

"You can dream later. Do you wanna head out with us? I'm gonna look for supplies." she said. I shrugged and yawned. "Sure. Just give me a minute."

"Come on, let's go," she told as she stepped out of my tent. I sighed and swung my legs over the side of my cot before picking up my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. I stepped out of my tent and squinted at the bright light, shielding my eyes.

I've been a resident of this community for over eight months. I was lucky to come here to this place. If I never did, I'd probably be a walking corpse by now, or maybe even worse.

I jogged around the community, saying 'hello' to several residents and guards of the camp. I passed by a couple that aren't too friendly, like Troy. He's a tall man, usually clad in camouflage. He had short brown hair, as well as a goatee. He's an asshole. I saw him glare at me as I passed by him. "Watch where you're goin'!" he snapped. I ignored him and continued running before I bumped into Wyatt, a man with wild blonde hair, a beard, and glasses. He's a pretty nice guy that has his moments here and there. He's one of the guards here.

"Hey, dude." he greeted. "Hey, Wyatt. What's up?" I asked as I paused running. "Nothin' much. I hear Bill's gonna be doing something huge today." he replied. "You know what it is?" I asked. He shook his head. "Nope. Anyway, gotta go. See you later, dude." he told me before walking off to continue patrolling as I resumed running.

As I rounded a corner, I ended up bumping into Russell. He's a few years older than me, but he's a guard here. He always has a 'no nonsense' attitude. "Watch it, Anne." he snapped. "Can't talk, gotta get to Tess!" I replied as I kept running.

Before I knew it, I found the person I was seeking.

"HEY!" I greeted Tess. "Already? Wow, you're fast." she remarked. "You ready for today's supply hunt?"

"Yep. Who's coming this time?" I asked.

"Well, there's me, Mom, and Dad." Tess said. I blinked. Bill himself was going on a supply hunt? Now THAT was rare!

"Howdy, folks!" William Carver greeted as he faced us. He had graying hear, a beard, and wore this heavy brown coat with dark pants. I blinked. Ever since that group of people left the camp several months ago, he's been heading out more frequently, which is strange.

He REALLY seems eager to bring them back here, like they were something he lost.

Whoa, hold on... we've got PLENTY of supplies here... so why is he going on supply runs?

What's Carver looking for? WHY is he looking for it?

I'm yanked out of my thoughts as Carver turns to us.

"Now listen. Remember the plan. Don't stray too far, and don't get cornered by lurkers." he reminded. "Let's move out."

* * *

The four of us moved in silence through the woods. Carver then stopped, signaling us to freeze. "Hold on." he muttered before edging towards a bush. "Well, looks like today's our lucky day." he chuckled. I caught up to him, finding an abandoned campsite in front of us. By the looks of it, it was trashed about a few months ago.

"Alright Tess, remember the plan..." Carver began, but Tess cut him off.

"Yeah, yeah. 'Don't stray too far, don't get cornered by lurkers', blah blah blah... I'll be careful." she said, rolling her eyes as she headed towards a tent. I went on my own path, searching around a tree at first. I know it sounds stupid, but you gotta check everywhere...

Something caught my eye and I froze. I knelt down to get a closer look and smiled. Jackpot! It was a can of beans!

"I found something!" I called as I picked the can up and waved it above my head. "Nice job, Anne!" Tess praised. I smiled. Tess was the first one to welcome me to the camp when I first showed up. Not to mention the one who showed me how things worked there. She's a good friend.

I continued my search, only finding a knife, a clean roll of gauze, and a instant ramen packet.

Well, it's not much, but it's something... and hey, ramen! I like having this when I have the chance. Especially if it's chicken flavor.

I looked over my shoulder, seeing Carver frowning as he looks into a wrecked tent. If he's looking for someone, I'd doubt they'd be in that ratty old thing...

I looked up, seeing the others not too far away. I was about to say something when I heard a snap. I froze when I saw a shadow behind Tess's mother. I had to warn her!

"LOOK OUT!" I scream. She turned around and screamed as a lurker reaches out at her. I hear a grunt of pain, but I can't make out what is going on over there. Tess reacts quickly and shoots the lurker in the head, creating a lot of noise.

"Holy crap!" I breath as I run up to them. Bill and Tess reach her just as I do.

"Mom, are you OK?" Tess asked. My eye wandered down to Tess's mother's arm and I gasped. There were three long gash marks on her arm.

Oh God...

Carver's eyes narrow at the sight as Tess gasps. "I-It's okay, Tessie, it's just a scratch." her mother says.

"C-Come on... we can get this taken care of..." Tess chokes out.

My ears pick up the sound of snarling. I whirl around, seeing several more lurkers headed our way.

"Uh, guys? We might wanna think about running!"

The four of us turned on our heels abruptly, but Tess's mother fell to the ground as we ran.

"HELP!" she screamed. "MOM!" Tess yelled. Carver sees an exit, and then looks back at Tess's mother, who is being cornered by the lurkers. Oh no... he's not thinking what I think he's thinking, is he?!

"Come on." he says as he drags us away from the sight as lurkers begin to chomp into Tess's mother.

"NOOOOO!"

"Bill, what the hell?!" I scream as I struggle with him, but he's just too strong. I watch helplessly as the lurkers eat her alive while she screams in pain. Tess reaches out to her as Carver drags us away. Tess sobs as we run away from the sight with whatever we could grab. I try to block out the pained screams, but I fail. When we are a good distance away from the sight, Tess glares at Carver murderously and shoves him away from her.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"She was scratched. She was a danger to the group." Carver spoke calmly.

I growl. Just because she was scratched doesn't mean we couldn't try to save her!

"NO, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Tess exclaims tearfully.

"Look, sweetie..." her father begins as he places a hand on Tess's cheek. I growl again. He leaves ex-wife to die and he has the nerve to do THAT?!

Tess shoves the son of a bitch away from her. "KEEP YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF ME!" she shrieks as she runs away. I glare coldly at Carver. "Why would you do that?!" I snapped before I run after her.

How... how could he?!

He's the leader of the community! He's supposed to protect the people! Not let them die!

How could he... do something... like this...?

I push these thoughts out of my mind as I continue running after Tess.


	2. I've Made My Decision

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

It has been two days since THAT incident. When we came back to the camp, Tess was silent the entire way back, except for the occasional sniffle. I haven't seen her since that day. She's been cooped up in her tent most of the time.

I passed by her tent a couple times hearing her screaming and crying, probably from having nightmares about what had happened to Coleen...

Whenever Bill tried to talk to her, Tess would yell at him and shove him away. He deserves it, if you ask me.

I sighed and rubbed my temples. How could he... I knew that he and his ex wife never got along, but... _damn..._

Now I know. Now I know why those people left. It's because Carver was a monster...

An emotionless monster that didn't care what happened to others... and now that I know what he is now, I've noticed some things about him. He seems pretty obsessed with finding those guys that left a while back. It was like he refused to let them go.

I stepped out of my tent, ignoring the other residents as I passed by with my hands shoved in my pockets. These guys don't know about our 'good' leader, about what his true nature is...

"Anne?"

I'm yanked out of my thoughts by the voice. I look up, seeing Bonnie, another resident of the camp. She's one of the guards here at the community. I don't know her very well, but she's an okay girl. She's pretty nice.

"Hey Bonnie." I greeted.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine." I lie. "Has Tess come out of her tent, yet?"

She shook her head. "No. Not since... well..." she said trailing off.

I scratched the back of my head. I haven't seen anyone mourn over a lost family member in a long time.

"You should talk to her."

I blink in surprise. "Me?!" I asked. "Yeah. You and her seem pretty close, so I'm sure she'll listen to you," said Bonnie. I cross my arms. Well, she's got a point... Tess was the first one to welcome me to the camp. She showed me the ropes here, and always helped me whenever I had a problem. Guess it's time I repay the favor.

"You're probably right..." I say. "I'll go talk to her."

Bonnie smiles in approval and nods.

"See ya later, Bonnie." I told the woman as I ran past her and towards Tess's tent. Where was it again? Oh yeah, that way.

I come to a halt in front of it. "Tess. Tess, it's me! Anne!" I called.

"Go away!" Tess sniffled.

This is gonna be tougher than I thought...

"Come on, Tess. You've been in there for two days. People are starting to worry about you."

"Please... just go away!" she sniffled. "Leave me alone!"

I sighed loudy and crossed my arms. "Please. Just come out. We're getting worried..."

Tess remains silent.

"Please?"

After another silent moment, I sighed in defeat.

"Okay. I'll be in my tent if you need me..." I say as I back away from her tent and leave. Just as I walk around a corner, I pass by William Carver himself. He raises an eyebrow as he looks at me, as if he wasn't expecting me to be there.

"Hello there, Anne." he greets. "Have you seen Tess around here?"

I say nothing, but I glared at him coldly with my visible eye. "Why would _you_ of all people wanna talk to her after what _you_ did?" I spat before I left.

* * *

Night had fallen on the camp. I should be asleep by now, but I just can't. Not after what's happened...

I sat on my cot, strumming away on my guitar. I was lucky to get that thing before shit started happening. It's one of the only ways I can entertain myself with when I'm bored. I still couldn't believe that Coleen was gone... and Bill was responsible for her death.

I freeze when I see a shadow pass by my tent. What is that...?

Is it a lurker?

If it is, then how'd it get into the community?!

I cautiously reach for my hunting knife before I lift the flap and peeked outside. Someone was walking towards the direction of the camp entrance carrying several bags. I narrow my eye to get a closer look and silently gasp.

It's Tess!

What the hell is she doing heading towards the camp entrance?! Wait, why does she have that much stuff with her?

Without a second thought, I grabbed a few bags with my stuff and supplies in them, as well as my guitar, before I sneaked out of my tent and secretly followed Tess.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I ran into the stockroom and towards the camp entrance with my belongings. I'm leaving this place. FOR GOOD. I'm going to find Luke, Nick, and everyone else. I stopped in my tracks when I heard Anne's voice call out to me.

"Tess?"

I froze. I thought I was caught. If I made one false move, I knew I'd be in trouble.

I slowly turned around with a stoic look on my features, seeing that she had a few bags, as well as her guitar with her.

"What're you doing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What does it look like? I'm leaving!" I say with a scoff.

Anne was silent for a moment before she crossed her arms over her chest. "... It's because of Carver, isn't it?"

I stiffened at the name. My eyes started to water, but I blinked away the tears. "Yes... that son of a bitch killed my mother! He's nothing but a fucking monster! I'm leaving, for good!" I said, glaring straight into Anne's visible eye. "What? Are you gonna stop me?"

Anne shook her head. "No. Why should I? I have NO loyalty to that bastard anymore. Not after what he's done."

I nodded with satisfaction and turned around to leave.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

As Tess opened the door that led outside and began to leave, I couldn't help but think... should I stay here, continue taking orders from Carver, or leave also...?

No... There is NO WAY I'm staying here after what he's done! I'm not gonna stand by and let a man who let his ex wife die tell me what to do!

"WAIT!" I suddenly called out. Tess turned around in surprise as I ran up to her with my things. "I'm coming with you!"

"WHAT?!" she snapped.

I smirk. "You heard me. I have absolutely no loyalty to Bill anymore, so what's the point in staying here?"

"But-!"

I frowned slightly. "No buts! You've made your decision, so I'm making mine. Besides, if you're leaving, then I guess you're gonna need a friend by your side."

Tess smiles and suddenly hugs me. I tense, not expecting this.

After a tender moment, I chuckle nervously. "O-Okay, let's not get all mushy now..."

Tess chuckled and released me. We turned around and noticed that the sun was rising. Crap, not good. Carver's gonna be up any minute now...

"Come on, we need to go..." Tess said. I nodded and we ran through the camp entrance and across the parking lot. We had just reached the woods when Tess turned around to face the camp's entrance. I stopped and turned to her, raising an eyebrow. What's she doing...?

She then lifted her arm, held her hand out, and flipped off the camp. I can't help but snicker as she flips practically everyone in the camp off!

"Haha! Nice!" I praised. Tess turns back to me with a smile.

"That felt good." she said. I smile and give her a high-five before we run away into the forest, leaving behind the place we once called our home.


	3. The Cabin

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

"BLARGH!"

I woke up to the sound of Tess vomiting. AGAIN.

"Come on, Tess, the berries from last night couldn't have been THAT bad." I say sleepily as I rub my eye. Every morning, ever since we left the camp three days ago, Tess has been puking, even if she didn't eat. Come to think of it... she's been doing that for a couple weeks now...

What's wrong with her? Why is she puking constantly? Is she...?

No... she couldn't be...

Tess wipes her mouth and looks up at me.

"S-sorry Anne. Just have an upset stomach, that's all." she said. I look at her doubtfully.

"Are you SURE you're fine?" I asked.

'Yes," she said without hesitation. I blink before I shrug.

"If you say so..."

"Come on. We gotta keep moving." she says as she begins to pick up her bags. She's right. Carver DEFINITELY knows that we're gone now. He's probably sent a search party out for us, or he's probably looking for us himself...

I pick up my bags and my guitar as we begin to walk.

"So... who did you say we were looking for again?" I asked.

"Luke, Nick, and the others." she replied without missing a beat.

"Aren't those the people who left a while ago?" I asked.

"Yeah..."

"Do you know why they left?"

She seemed to stiffen for a split second. "It doesn't matter now... what does matter is that we find them..."

I blink in confusion before realization hits me, and I smirk. "Is it cause your boyfriend's with them?"

She blushes immediatly. "Nick is not my boyfriend!" she exclaimed.

I continue to smirk. "Riiigght..." I drawled out. She's lying. Almost half the camp knew that she and Nick had a crush on each other!

"W-whatever... let's just go." she says as she quickens her pace, still blushing.

* * *

We continued trekking through the woods. I sighed. How long have we been walking? Feels like three hours...

I glance at Tess. "Are you sure we should look for them?" I asked.

"Absolutely." she answers.

"But what if something goes wrong if we find them? What if they think that we're trying to bring them back?"

"Then we'll have to show them that we won't."

I pause for a second. That sounds like a plan. I took a look at our surroundings. Nothing much. Trees, bushes, dirt, more trees, a cabin, even more trees- wait, WHAT?!

"Hey Tess, look!" I called pointing towards the cabin. She gasps as we gaze upon it.

"Do you think..." I trail off.

"Definitely." she said as we walked towards it. As we got closer, we could see a few people on the porch. Apparently, one of them noticed us and yelled, "HEY! HOLD IT!"

Tess and I freeze and hold our hands in surrender. The people come closer to us, and Tess gasps. I recognized the guy who yelled. It was...

"Nick?"

"Tess...?"

The two immediately run towards each other and hug. "I missed you..." Tess said. Nick smiles lightly. "Me too..."

"What are you two doing here?"

I peer over their shoulders, seeing a Hispanic man wearing a red flannel shirt glaring at us cautiously. I remember him; he's Carlos, one of the people who left with Nick and Luke.

"Did Carver send you?" he asks bluntly as more people step out of the cabin. An African American wearing glasses, a pregnant lady, a man in his mid to late fifties, a guy wearing an orange shirt, and a woman with black hair walked up to his side. Tess pulls away from Nick and takes my side.

"WHAT?! Hell no!" she exclaims.

"Why are you here?" the pregnant lady asked as she glared at us. "We left Carver's camp." I replied. "We're not here to take you guys back. Trust me."

The lady glare intensifies, and so does mine. She's REALLY starting to get on my nerves!

"They could be lying!"

I sigh. Oh boy, here we go...

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I glared lightly at the cabin group. They thought Anne and I were working with... HIM.

Carlos crossed his arms as he continued to glare at us.

"How do we know you're not working with Carver?" he asked.

Anne snapped, "We ran away, is that proof enough for ya?!"

I could tell she was starting to lose her patience as well...

Rebecca, the woman I had personal hatred for, spoke up. "They could be lying! Just get them out of here already!"

I growled at her. She was one to talk about lying...

Anne stepped forward and snarled, "Hey, look lady! I am NOT in the mood for this!"

I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her from doing anything stupid. "Anne..." I gently warned. She looked up at me, frowning slightly, but slumped her shoulders in defeat. Carlos then sighed and said something that made ME snap.

"Listen, we all know what kind of person Carver is. Who knows, he could be using his own daughter to-"

I growled. He did NOT just say that!

"DON'T YOU DARE ASSOCIATE ME WITH THAT F*CKER!" I screamed at the Spanish man. I stepped forward, ready to punch Carlos, but Anne grabbed me by the arm and yanked me back.

"Whoa, Tess!" she exclaimed.

Marie, Nick's mother, then stepped in between us, holding her arms out. "Everyone, just CALM down..." she spoke calmly.

Pete then spoke up. "They must have a good reason for this..."

EXACTLY!

Rebecca scoffed and crossed her arms. "Good reason?! We had a good reason to get the hell out of there! What about you? What's yours?" she asks as she glares at Anne and I. My anger boiled. That's it. They were going to hear what I have to say NOW!

"Alright. You wanna know our reason?! YOU WANNA KNOW OUR FUCKING REASON?! Well, y'all remember Coleen, don't you?! Well, she's DEAD!" I seethed before pausing to see the shocked looks on their faces. "That's right! She died! No less than five days ago! You wanna know how?! That piece of shit that I used to call 'father' let her die! BECAUSE SHE GOT SCRATCHED ON THE ARM! He saw her as a liablilty to the camp and an oppurtunity to get away! He dragged Anne and I away from her when we tried to help her! Now, because of him, my mother's one of... THEM! Everyday, I wish I could hear her voice again, but I can't! BECAUSE SHE'S GONE! If y'all think that I don't know what you've been through, well fuck you! Just STOP pushing me around and stop treating me like I'm gonna slit your throats at any second! You all knew me before you left, and you all know that I wouldn't do anything to hurt you! SO GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK!"

Everyone stares at me with surprise as I pant and glare at them. With a growl, I shove my way past them and stormed off to the cabin.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

As Tess slammed the door shut, Nick ran after her. I turned back to the rest of the cabin group and glared at them coldy.

"I hope you're happy." I snarled.

Carlos took a step forward and studied me carefully. "Are you a friend of Tess?"

I nodded. "Why did you leave?" he asked. I crossed my arms and continued to glare at him. "I left cause I realized what Carver really is. I saw him leave Coleen to die. Tess is my friend, and there was no freaking way I was gonna let her go by herself."

Carlos stares at me, as if he's deciding whether or not to believe me. He then turns back to the rest of the group. "Bring them in." he sighs. "But keep an eye on them."

I blink in surprise as they lead me into the cabin. "This is a bad idea. I know it is." the pregnant lady mutters. I glare at her with my eye. Does she EVER shut up?

Luke opened the door and I stepped inside. I took a look around the living room. Not bad, seems kinda cozy...

"Dad? Who's she?"

I was yanked out of my thoughts by the voice. I looked up and saw a girl with black hair wearing a light blue jacket and red tinted glasses peering over the railing. "Sarah, this is, uh..."

"Anne." I answered. She smiles and comes down the stairs to face me. "Hi, I'm Sarah!" she introduced.

I nod. "Hi there."

"I saw you outside with Tess. Are you friends with her?"

I nod again. "Yeah." I confirmed.

"So how old are you?" she asked.

I rose an eyebrow at her question. "Fourteen... why?"

She smiled. "Cool! I'm fifteen! Just a year older than you. Would you like to be friends with me?" she asked.

Wow, she JUST met me and she already wants me to be her friend...

"Uh... sure..." I say uncertainly. Sarah smiles and holds her hand out. "Pinky swear?"

I nodded and locked my pinky finger with hers. She smiled. "A pinky swear is forever."

Carlos raises an eyebrow, but says nothing. The guy with the orange shirt stepped up to me. "Uh, sorry about earlier. The others just didn't trust you since you came from Carver's camp." he said.

I crossed my arms. "Well, I guess they had a right to... Tess kept talking about you guys almost the entire time. She mostly talked about Nick and some guy named Luke."

He smiles slightly. "That's me."

I notice something out of the corner of my eye. I looked over my shoulder to see Rebecca glaring at me before she steps into the kitchen to talk with the others. "Don't mind Rebecca." Luke told me. "She's got some trust issues."

He's got a point. Whatever Carver did to them, he got them good. They have a right to be suspicious of us. Luke leads me upstairs and shows me an empty room with a large, comfy bed in it. I grin widely at the sight.

Holy shit, I haven't seen a bed like that in months!

"It's not much, but hopefully it's-"

I cut him off as I set my things down and practically dived onto the bed.

"WHOO!" I exclaimed as I bounced slightly. Ahhh... so soft...

He snickers at my antics. "You rest up, I'm gonna go talk to Tess and the others."

He leaves the room as I lay on my back and stare up at the ceiling, enjoying the soft bed. Eventually, sleep gets the best of me and I drift off to sleep.


	4. She's Gone

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver is belongs to Celebrityfan**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

It's been a couple months since Tess and I arrived.

Heh, actually, I have no clue how long it's been since we've left now.

The rest of the group at the cabin had come to trust us. I've gotten to know them pretty well.

Luke is a sweet guy, and pretty funny. He's always willing to do anything for the group. Nick is Tess's boyfriend, yes, boyfriend, and he's a bit of a hothead. Marie, Nick's mother, is kind and speaks her mind. She says that Nick gets his temper from her, but she hasn't gotten angry yet to prove it. Pete is Nick's uncle, who's taken the role of looking after Nick with Marie when he was younger. Carlos is an over-protective father, if you ask me. He never taught Sarah how to defend herself. Sarah's alright, but she seems a bit childish, and from what I've heard, she has an anxiety disorder, which explains why Carlos tries to protect her from the outside world. Alvin's really friendly, he's offered to take watches for Tess sometimes. We get along pretty well. Rebecca... ehh... we dont' exactly get along so well. She can be a pain in the ass, but once ya get to know her, she's really not that bad. But you better be careful if you're around her during one of her mood swings.

I walked past Tess and Nick, who were flirting with each other. I rolled my eye. "Get a room, you two." I joked as I headed towards the living room, seeing Luke and Carlos by the couch. The two were playing chess together.

"Hey guys." I greeted.

"Hey Anne." Luke replied without looking up. Carlos then moves one of his pieces and takes Luke's knight.

"Aw, come on!" Luke groaned. I smirked before I headed towards the front door and stepped onto the porch. I like to come out here every once in a while so I can just relax in peace. I close my eye and sigh. I lean against the wall and listen to the birds chirping, the wind, the snapping of a twig- wait, what?

I open my eye and see a man staggering towards the cabin. Shit!

I darted back inside, surprising Luke and Carlos. "Anne, what's wrong?" Luke asked.

"Someone's coming towards the cabin." I said. The two jumped up and darted outside with me just as the man reaches the cabin. Behind us, Nick, Tess, and Pete run out of the cabin.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Nick snapped. The man looked at us with pleading eyes.

"P-please... I need help..." he said. I could see he was clutching his arm. He pulls his hand away, revealing a bite. I jumped back in surprise. I wasn't sure what to think of this. If he's bit... then...

Carlos is hesitant, but he says, "Bring him inside, I'll see what I can do..."

"T-thank you... Thank you..." the man said gratefully as we led him inside. Carlos turns to Rebecca and Alvin, who are surprised to see the man. "Can you two keep an eye on Sarah? I don't want her seeing this." he said. Alvin and Rebecca head up to Sarah's room as Carlos leads the man into the kitchen. He examines the bite before he turns to me. "We need to clean it out. Anne, I need you to get antiseptic and bandages for me!" he ordered. I nodded and dashed towards where we keep the medical supplies.

I began searching, but couldn't find the items needed.

Come on, where IS it?!

"Anne! Hurry! It's gonna get worse!"

I frown. "I'm going as fast as I can!" I snapped before I turned back to the supplies. Ah! Found ya!

I grabbed the antiseptic and bandages and darted back to the kitchen, slamming the door open in the process. I heard a groan, but I was too focused on getting the medical supplies to Carlos to check.

"Here!" I said as I handed him the supplies. Carlos pours some antiseptic onto the bite. The liquid bubbles on contact with the skin and the man screams in pain.

"AGH!"

I can't help but cringe. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luke pushing the door away from him rubbing his nose. Oh, so THAT'S where the groan came from... oops.

Once the fizzing goes down, Carlos cleans out the wound and bandages it up.

"So... What now?" I asked.

"You should rest up." Carlos told the man. The unnamed man nods and stands up. "Thank you..." he thanked, cringing. He heads towards the door, but he suddenly collapses. We quickly run to him and pick him up.

"We need to get him into a bed." Carlos said before we carried him into an empty room upstairs. "I'll keep an eye on him unless something happens." Pete offered as he held his rifle. We left the room, leaving Pete with the unconscious man.

* * *

Three hours had passed since the mysterious man came here. Things weren't looking so good for him. He was starting to get sick, meaning that he was getting the fever from the bite. I've passed by the room a couple times, hearing him cough and groan constantly. Each time, it's louder and more pained. I stayed a few feet away from the door just in case. It's getting worse.

As the others (minus Sarah) were discussing what to do, I walked up to the room and brought him up a packet of crackers and some water. "Here..." I say as I gently handed him the crackers and water. He was looking a little pale as he sat up. He looked a bit suspicious of me, but he went and took them in his hands. "T-Thank you..." he rasped before going into another coughing fit.

I nodded. "No problem." I tell him as I started to head out. "Hey kid..." he suddenly called out.

I paused and looked over my shoulder. "Yeah?"

He tried to push himself up, but collapsed back down on the pillows. "You don't trust me, do you?" he asked weakly.

I was silent for a moment. "Most of the others don't. They've been a edgey lately."

"About what?"

Sighing, I left the room. "Someone who hurt them badly." I replied.

* * *

All of us are in the living room. We don't really say anything, we just sit there in silence. Carlos then stood up. "I'm gonna go check on him." he said before he heads upstairs. "Be careful." Tess called as he disappears from our sight.

Several minutes pass, and I'm starting to get impatient. I started pacing around the room. What if the man's dead? What if he's turned already...?

The sound of footsteps pulls me out of my thoughts. We all look up to see Carlos walking down the stairs with a grim expression. I'm the first one to speak up.

"Well? How does he look?"

Carlos shakes his head. My eye widens. Oh crap, did he...?

"It may be too late for him." Carlos said. "Maybe if we cut it off, we-"

I shake my head and cut him off. "I heard cutting it off will only work immediately after you're bitten, not a while after..."

Back at the community, I've heard stories about people getting bitten who waited too long and turned. There's no way cutting off the bite will work on this guy now. He's basically dead.

Tess sighed and stood up. "He shouldn't be suffering this... I can't believe I'm saying this, but... Maybe we should just... put him out of his misery..."

I let out a sigh. How are we gonna break it down to this guy? Should we just... shoot him now?

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a shadow behind Marie. Before I can even react, the shadow figure grabs her from behind.

"AHH!"

All of us jump up in surprise. The figure is revealed to be the man, except he had sagging skin and soulless white eyes. Oh shit! He's turned! We're too late! He chomps right into Marie's neck before any of us can react.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!" she wailed in pain, trying to stop the blood as she grasped her neck. "MOM! NO!" Nick exclaimed as he ran forward. Tess quickly stabbed the lurker in the head after prying it away from Marie.

"Oh no..." I paled. Tess turns around and gasps at the sight. Nick holds Marie in his arms as she helped her try to stop the blood flow while she choked. Then her arms fall lifelessly to the side.

"Mom... Mom, can you hear me? Please don't leave... DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!" Nick yelled as he shook his mother's body. I held a hand to my mouth in horror as Tess sheds a few tears at the sight. A few minutes later, we heard a low guttural sound. Nick looks up in surprise.

"Mom...?"

The woman slowly opened her eyes.

I gasped. "NICK, GET AWAY FROM HER!" I yelled. Suddenly, 'Marie' leapt forward. Her skin was pale and her eyes were a soulless white. Oh God... she's turned! She grabbed Nick and tried to sink her teeth into his throat, but Nick shoved her off and backed away. The undead Marie starts to crawl towards him.

"FUCK!" Luke exclaimed as he, Tess, and I darted forward to help him, but Nick did something that totally caught us off guard. He grabbed a revolver and shot Marie in the head, the gunshot ringing throughout the room. The undead Marie dropped lifelessly on the ground.

No one says a word as we stare at Nick in shock as he drops the revolver and sinks to his knees. Tess kneels by his side and places a hand on his shoulder. He then stands up. "Don't touch me... Please..." he said softly before leaving the room. Carlos ran upstairs, probably to keep Sarah from seeing... THIS. Pete sank to his knees next to his sister's corpse with a mournful look and said nothing. I take one look at the blood and feel sick to my stomach. My gazed drifted over to the lurker and I growled. I clenched my fist tightly before I slammed it down on the counter.

"DAMN IT!" I screamed. Marie was one of Nick's only family members, and now she's gone...

I must have surprised the others, cause they were all looking at me with shocked faces. After I calmed down a little, I looked up at them.

"We... we should bury her."

* * *

Luke steps into the freshly dug hole and helps lower Marie's body into it with Pete. I just stand on the side with the others, watching with my hands shoved into my pockets. Luke and Pete begin to refill the hole with dirt.

Damn it, we should have kept a closer eye on him! If we did, she would still be alive...

I closed my eye tightly before opening it back up. I could see Nick and Tess holding hands as they stand nearby watching the scene. I saw the saddened expression Nick had.

Poor Nick...

"Marie was... well, she was my sister." Pete said with a pained expression. I can tell he's having a hard time saying this. "I'll always remember that."

"Marie was one of the kindest people I've met. I'll never be able to repay that..." said Tess.

Nick was silent for a few minutes before he spoke up. "Mom was the best... I'll miss her smile..."

He cuts himself off as Tess wraps an arm around him and pulls him into a hug. All of us give him a look of sympathy. Tess then steps forward and places something into the dirt. It's a wooden cross, with the name 'MARIE' carved into it. "Rest in peace..." she whispered.

One by one, we all leave, but the only one who doesn't is Nick. I turned around to talk to him, but Tess placed a hand on my shoulder. "Anne, let him be... he just needs time..."

I don't argue, and we head back inside the cabin.

"Dad? What happened to Marie?" Sarah asked as she walked up to her father. Carlos sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "She's gone, sweetie... we had to bury her..." he explained.

Sarah gasped at the news as I silently walk by.

I sighed and leaned against the wall, running a hand over my face. What a day...


	5. Still Not Bitten

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan**

* * *

**Tess's POV**

Four weeks have passed since Marie died. They've been absolute hell for Nick. He's had a couple nightmares about that day... whenever he woke up from one, he'd wake up screaming and wake most of the cabin up.

Luke, Pete, and I have been doing the best we can to help him. He tends to lash out at Pete every once in a while, but he's doing okay so far...

I looked out the window to see Nick standing by Marie's grave. I can't help but give him a look of sympathy... he lost one of the most important figures in his life in just one day... I remember how I felt when my mom died... I know what he's going through...

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I looked up from my guitar, seeing something through the window. I got up to get a closer look. I smiled in relief, seeing that it was just Luke and Pete returning from their trip into the woods. But what's that Luke's carrying in his arms?

I squinted to get a closer look before my eye widened. It's a girl!

What happened?!

I darted out of my room and ran into the living room, finding the others sitting there. Tess rose an eyebrow.

"Whoa, Anne, what's wrong?" she asked standing up. Before I can even answer, Luke barges through the front door.

"You're gonna wanna see this." he said breathlessly.

Tess and I exchanged a look before everyone except for Luke, Carlos, and Sarah darted outside. I screech to a halt at the sight. A girl was lying on the ground. The same girl that I saw Luke carrying. She looked to be about 10 or 11, wearing a purple T-shirt over a white striped shirt and gray jeans. On her head is a hat with the letter D on it.

"Why'd you leave her on the ground?!" are the first words that come out of my mouth when I reach them, just as Nick does. I look down and see a blood stain on her sleeve. Oh no... is she bit?!

"What the hell are you doing bringing more people here?! Especially if they're bit?!" Rebecca snapped.

"We found her in the woods with lurkers everywhere. She swears that a dog bit her." Pete explained. Nick frowned and held his rifle tightly. "What the hell were you thinking out there?! Are you trying to get more of us killed?!" he snapped at Pete.

Pete turned to Nick. "She was in trouble, and you know I have a pretty good bullshit detector. She looked me straight in the eye and said she wasn't bitten by a lurker. We'll be able to find out if she's lying when we take a look at it, and then everything will be OK."

Nick growled. "Don't you tell me that! Not after what fucking happened!"

Rebecca crossed her arms. "Would someone mind telling me what the fuck is going on here?!"

"Now hold on, Rebecca!" Pete said.

"We got this, don't worry." Nick said before turning back to Pete. The pregnant woman scoffed. "Like hell you do. Did anyone even think to ask where she came from?! She might be working with Carver!"

Does she SERIOUSLY think that this little girl is working for that son of a bitch? I've never seen her around the camp before...

"Come on, Rebecca. There's absolutely NO WAY this girl could be working for that bastard!" I said. She sends me a glare. "And how do you know that?!" she asked me.

"She already told us that she and her friend were attacked and then she was bitten by a dog." Pete said.

"What? You just believed her? You should have put her out of her misery right there!" Rebecca snapped.

I growled. Did she seriously just say that?! Is she really arguing over killing a kid?!

A new voice surprises all of us.

"I need a do-"

Before she can even finish her sentence, Nick accidentally pulls the trigger and nearly shoots the girl.

HOLY SHIT!

"What the hell, Nick?!" Tess snapped. My thoughts exactly! He just almost shot a freakin' kid!

Pete snatched the rifle away from Nick. "Finger off the trigger, boy!" he scolded. Just then, Luke darted out of the cabin. "Whoa, whoa! What the fuck?!" he exclaimed as he ran down the steps.

"Nick, are you crazy?!" I exclaimed.

"You idiot! Every lurker within five miles coulda heard that!" Rebecca growled.

"Hey, YOU were the one telling me to shoot her!" Nick shot back.

"Everyone calm down for a second." Alvin said as he stepped in.

"Clementine, are you okay?" Luke asked the girl as he reached us.

The girl, Clementine, gets to her feet, clutching her arm. "I just need a doctor... and then I'll go. I don't want my arm to get infected." she said. Nick frowns. "None of us wanna get infected. That's the point." he said. Tess and I frown at him. Tess then elbows him in the ribs.

"Nick, seriously, just back off! Give her a break!" I snapped, crossing my arms. "What the hell is wrong you people? She's just scared!" Luke said. "We're ALL scared Luke. Don't act like we're the one's being irrational cause we don't buy this bullshit story." Rebecca said.

"There's no way she's survived out here on her own!" Nick butts in. "Why are we even arguing about this?!"

I watched as Tess stepped up to Clementine and knelt down to her level before gently reaching for her arm.

"Hi there, sweetie." Tess spoke gently. "I'm Tess. Can I see your arm? It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you."

Clementine cautiously rolls up her sleeve, showing us the wound. It has one long gash and at least five puncture marks. I can't help but cringe.

"That must've hurt..." I commented, ignoring the looks Rebecca and Nick shot me.

"Be careful, Tess-" Nick warned.

Tess glared over her shoulder. "I'm FINE, Nick." she insisted before looking back at the bite. "Hm, whatever it was, it got ya pretty good..."

Nick frowned and stomped towards Luke and Pete. "This isn't how we do things, man. When you're bit, you get put down. End of story. I'm not gonna go through this again!"

I frowned at him. I know he's still upset over Marie, but isn't this taking things a little too far?!

"Nick!" Tess snapped. "Knock it off!"

"We could take her arm off." Pete suddenly suggested. Clementine gasped as we all look at him, slightly surprised by his suggestion. Great, now we've scared her!

"I know that worked for a cousin down in Ainsworth. We could try that." he shrugged. "Pete, don't say that!" Tess scolded.

"Yeah, you're kind of scaring the kid..." I chided.

"It won't do any good. You'll just be making it worse for the girl." said Rebecca. "It's crazy. No one's gonna volunteer to do that." Alvin shook his head.

"I would, if it means saving her life." Pete said. "Then what? How would we know it worked?" Nick asked.

Clementine then looked around at us before her eyes fell on Tess. "I just want to fix my arm." she said. Tess gave her a look of sympathy. "I know, sweetie, but we have to make sure..."

"I swear, it was just a dog bite!" Clementine insisted before she looked up at Luke. "Hey, I'm on your side, kid." he said holding his hands up. By the tone of his voice, I can tell that he actually wants to help her and- hold on, why is she staring at me?

"You believe me, don't you?" she asked me. My gaze softened and I gave her a look of sympathy. "Of course I do..." I said. By the look in her eyes, she MUST be telling the truth.

Tess then stood up and faced us. "It's definitely not a lurker bite." she said. Carlos then stepped up. Whoa, when did he get here?

"Let me see that."

"It's not a fucking lurker bite!" Tess insisted. Carlos knelt down and examined the bite. I hear the front door creak open.

"Who's she?" I heard Sarah ask. Carlos frowned. "Sarah, what did I say? Stay inside." he said. I heard the door close, knowing that Sarah went back inside.

"So... What do you think?" Alvin asked as Carlos faced us.

"A bite like that... it could be anything... only one way to find out." Carlos said crossing his arms.

Tess frowned. "What are you saying?!"

"We wait."

"WHAT?!" Tess and I yelled simultaneously. "Are you fucking crazy?! That's a dog bite, I KNOW it is!" Tess snapped.

"By tomorrow morning, if the fever's set in, we'll know if she's gonna turn. In the meantime, we can lock her in the shed," Carlos frowned.

Is he REALLY suggesting that we do this?!

"NO WAY!" Tess growled, voicing my thoughts. "We have to make sure." Nick told her. Tess shot the rest of the group a look. "What about my arm? It needs to get cleaned, a-and stitched, and bandaged..." Clementine said as she walked up to us. She's right, if we don't do anything, it's gonna get worse... we have to do something about it!

"Seriously, Carlos! Look at her! The girl is in bad shape!" I said stepping up to him. Carlos crossed his arms. "I'm not wasting supplies on a lurker bite." he said firmly.

"It's not a lurker bite!" Tess growled as she stomped up to him. Carlos turned to Clementine. "If it turns out you're tellling the truth, I'll clean it and stitch it up for you in the morning." Carlos said.

My anger boiled. Is he serious?! It could be too late for her then!

"THE MORNING?! Are you nuts?! It'll get worse if we don't treat it now!" I snapped at him. "Anne." he said firmly. "There aren't any other options."

Tess and I glared harshly at Carlos's back as he headed inside the cabin. Grr, sometimes I just wanna-!

Luke turned to Clementine with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. It's the best we're gonna get."

Pete handed Nick back the rifle. "Finger off the trigger, son." he warned. Nick scowled and snatched the rifle. "I ain't your son!" he growled.

"Don't be like that, Nick, please..." Tess pleaded. "It's alright. Boy's got his mom's temper." Pete sighed

Nick turned to Clem with the scowl still plastered on his face. "Come on." he growled. Clementine took a few steps forward before she looked over her shoulder and back at us. I noticed that her gaze fell on me. I closed my eye sadly, knowing that I wouldn't be able to help her. That look on her face made me feel even worse.

"This is just a waste of time. You'll see." Rebecca said crossing her arms. "And when she turns, I'm not gonna be the one cleaning up the shed."

We watched as Nick, Luke, and Tess led Clementine to the shed. When they closed the doors, I glared at Rebecca. "What the hell's your problem?! You couldn't at least give her a chance?!"

"Hey, there's no way I'm risking that! Remember the last time we let someone with a bite stay, we lost someone! We're not gonna take any chances!"

I glared at her coldly before I stomped into the cabin.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I grabbed Nick by his arm as we walked away from the shed. "Hey. You and me need to talk." I said sternly as I dragged him over to the side of the cabin.

"What?" he snapped.

"You know what! You almost shot that kid's face off!" I said. Nick holds his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I thought she was turning! She just surprised me!"

"Well, you better apologize to her when we fix her arm." I said crossing my arms over my chest.

"You mean IF we fix her arm. There's no way that was a dog bite." Nick said stubbornly as he walked away, leaving me standing there. I sighed in irritation. Nick's still affected by Marie's death... Pete's told me that he always lashes out when he's upset...

That woman was the only parent he really had. And now she's gone...

"Tess?"

I'm yanked out of my thoughts by the sound of Luke's voice. "You coming in?" he asked. I nodded and caught up to him as we stepped inside. I see Anne standing near the stairs with her arms crossed. She must have noticed us, because she came walking up to Luke and I.

"Do you believe that she's telling the truth?" she asked. Why is she asking me that?! Of course I do! I checked the fucking bite, and I could tell it wasn't a lurker!

"Of course!" I said. Luke nodded in agreement and crossed his arms. "Still, we have to make sure." he said. "I don't wanna do this either, but it's seems to be the only way..."

Anne gave him a look before she sighed. "I'll be in my room if ya need me." she muttered as she went towards her room.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

At least two hours have past since we've locked that girl in the shed. I feel guilty. Damn it, I wish there was something I could do for her! I don't know if she was telling the truth, but...

I sighed and took a sip of Pepsi. I then heard knocking at my window.

"Hm?" I asked nonchalantly. I turned to the window and noticed someone waving at me... IS THAT THE GIRL FROM EARLIER?! How the hell did she get out of the shed?!

My eye widened and I did a spit-take before I looked over my shoulder, making sure no one else was coming before I ran to the window and opened it.

"What the hell are you doing out here, kid?!" I asked quietly. "If the others see you out here, you're in deep shit!"

"I-I need your help." she said.

Why did she come to ME for help?!

"What? Me? I'm sorry, but I can't do anything." I said remorsefully.

"Please, I NEED to fix my arm." she pleaded.

"Are you nuts?! Even if you weren't bitten by a lurker, you can't be here! Look, you gotta get outta here. Get back in the shed and Carlos will take care of ya in the morning." I told her.

"I saw when everyone was arguing earlier. You wanted to help me." Clementine said.

I sighed. "Yeah, I wanted to help you, and so did Tess and Alvin, but even if I tried, I couldn't do anything! Not with the others arguing over it."

Suddenly, there was a knock at my door.

"Anne?" I heard Tess's muffled voice call. "Shit, get down!" I whispered to Clementine. She ducked before I opened my door.

"Yeah?"

"Carlos wants us all in the kitchen for a house meeting." she said.

"I'll be down there in a few." I told her. She nodded and left. I breathed a sigh of relief as I closed the door. Phew, that was close!

I walked back over to the window as Clementine stood up. "I'm serious, you have got to get outta here before the others find out." I told her.

"Please help me... please..." she begged me with pleading eyes. I looked into her eyes as my face softened. Please don't tell me that she's gonna cry... you know what, screw it.

"You're seriously not working for Carver?" I asked.

"No."

"And you didn't get bit by a dead person?"

"No." she insisted. "I won't forget that you've helped me."

I can't help but smile lightly. "I'm sure you won't, kid." I said before my smile fell. "I'm screwed if anyone finds out about this, you know..."

If anyone found out, they'd probably kick my ass. "The cut on my arm needs to be cleaned and stitched." she explained, showing me her bloodied arm.

"We're running low on bandages, but I might find something that can help clean it. Wait here." I told her as I stepped out of my room. I look around to make sure no one was around before I stepped into the bathroom. Reaching into the medical cabinent, I grabbed a couple cotton balls and a few bandages. These should help... maybe they won't notice anything missing.

I silently exited the bathroom and slipped back into my room.

"Here, I managed to find a couple of these." I said as I handed them to her.

"Thank you."

I smiled lightly. "Don't mention it. And are you SERIOUSLY gonna stitch that up yourself?" I asked, referring to the wound.

"Do YOU know about this kind of stuff?" she asked me. Hm, she's got a point...

"Good point. Now you need to get out of here." I said before closing the window. She slipped away and I sighed before I left my room and entered the kitchen, finding everyone else there. I tried to make it look like nothing happened.

"... for all we know, she could be connected to Carver." Rebecca finished just as I stepped in.

"Come on, there's no way!" Luke argued.

"You don't know!" said Nick.

"She was with somebody! Whoever it was, it couldn't have been Carver." said Luke.

"He's right." I said, stepping into the conversation. "Do you really think that this girl is working for that bastard?"

"Still..." Rebecca muttered.

"She said she was with a friend." said Pete.

"Whoever she's with, they'll probably come looking for her." said Carlos.

"Great. They show up and we got her locked in the shed..." Alvin trailed off.

"You think we should bring her in here?!" asked Rebecca.

"No, I'm just saying that it wouldn't look too good."

"We should bring her in here." said Tess. Rebecca glared at her. "WHAT?!"

"She's a little girl! If we leave her out there for the rest of the night, the wound will get worse!" Tess said firmly.

"And besides, Alvin's got a point. If whoever she was with came here and found out that we locked her in the shed, they'd probably kick our asses." I pointed out, crossing my arms.

"It's just a precautionary measure. Anyone else would do the same." said Carlos.

"You really think Carver would come after us?" asked Luke. "You think he wouldn't?!" Nick snapped.

"Carver doesn't let things go too easily." Tess grumbles.

"Let him come. I really don't give a damn." Alvin muttered. "Alvin..." Rebecca scolded.

Just then, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head towards the door, but saw nothing. Huh, I could've SWORN I saw a flash of purple...

"...hey, you brought her back here, not me!" snapped Nick.

"Well, what're we supposed to do?! Just leave her there?" Luke shot back.

"Better her than us!"

"You woulda done the same thing." said Pete.

"It wasn't the brightest idea."

"And firing your rifle was? Next time, why don't we all just put up a big neon sign that says 'Lurkers Welcome'?" Tess asked sarcastically.

"Guys, guys, what about the kid?" I asked, gaining their attention.

"I think that she's telling the truth." said Luke. Pete sighed. "Look, there's no point in arguing about it now. She's in the shed, she's not gonna hurt anyone. We'll just see what's what tomorrow."

"But Carlos said she could die if she doesn't get her arm treated!" said Tess.

"Assuming that she doesn't turn." Rebecca added.

"Look, don't we have an antiseptic or something that could stop the infection from spreading?" I asked. "Yes, but not enough to spare." said Carlos. "We're not wasting any of that on her. What if one of us needs it?" asked Nick. I glared at him.

"Look, I'm just saying that we could help her." I said. "We can't let her die if we know there's something we could do about it!"

Nick opens his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a scream coming from the shed. CLEMENTINE!

"What the fuck was that?!" Alvin asked.

"COME ON!" Tess yelled as she barged through the kitchen door. "Tess, wait up!" Nick called as we ran after her and burst through the front door. Luke and Tess ran ahead of us and yanked open the doors, revealing Clementine yanking a hammer out of a lurker's head. What's a lurker doing around here?!

"Holy shit!" Luke exclaimed. I caught up to them with Nick, Pete, and Alvin. "How the hell did a lurker get in here?!" I asked.

"Little girl is tough as nails." Pete remarked. Clementine turned around and glared at us.

"I am still. NOT. Bitten. I never was! And you left me out here to die!" she growled at us. My gaze wandered down to her arm, seeing that her arm had stitches in it. Ouch...

"You patched yourself up?!" Luke asked incredulously.

"Where'd you get that stuff?!" Nick demanded. I saw Tess place a hand on Nick's shoulder. "Nick..." she warned.

"Did she STEAL from us?!" asked Rebecca. "This doesn't change a thing. She hasn't done anything to us." said Pete. "Says the man not carrying a baby!" Rebecca retorted.

"It seems that she had no other choice." Tess said. Clementine nodded. "I took the stuff, and I'm sorry..." she said looking down.

Carlos sighed. "Bring her in. I'll take a look at her arm." he said.

About freaking time!

"Do you, uh... want anything to eat?" Luke asked sheepishly as the others went back inside. She said nothing, but nodded. Luke, Clementine, and I headed back up to the house.

"Hey, kid." I said, gaining her attention. "Sorry about getting off to a rough start."

"It's okay." she said.

"I'm Anne." I said, holding my hand out. She shook it with her good arm.

"Clementine."

I smirk. "Nice to meet ya, Clementine." I said with a slight grin.

* * *

Clementine sat at the table as Carlos patched up her arm. I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed.

"How does she look?"

"Her suturing skills need some work, but otherwise, I'd say she should be fine." said Carlos.

"So it wasn't a lurker bite?" asked Luke. I rolled my eye. Duh!

"If it was, the fever would have set in by now and her temperature would be through the roof."

"I TOLD you!" Tess exclaimed. Carlos rolled his eyes. "Not now, Tess." he muttered. Nick then stormed away. Tess quickly ran after him, and Luke went to get food for Clementine, leaving just me, Clementine, and Carlos there. I stepped up to her.

"How's that feeling?" I asked, referring to her now bandaged arm. "Still hurts..." she muttered. "Get some rest. You need it." I said and left the room. I could faintly hear Carlos talking about Sarah. I managed to make out him saying that she would 'cease to function' if she knew what it was really like out there.

He's right... I don't think Sarah could handle what's going on out there...

I then noticed Tess and Nick heading into the kitchen. What're they doing? I pressed my ear against the door to listen.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

Nick and I entered the kitchen, seeing Luke sitting across from Clementine, who was eating. I held his hand and gave him a encouraging smile before he stepped up to Clementine. She glared at him slightly. She was still mad about the fact that Nick nearly blew her face off earlier.

"Hey, um... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about earlier. I got kinda aggro, and that definitely wasn't cool..." Nick said scratching the back of his head. I smiled proudly. He was doing good...

"Nick's been known to go off every once in a while..." Luke explained. I stepped up to Nick's side and said, "Please don't hold it against him. I've already kicked his ass for nearly shooting you."

Nick's gaze shifted down to the floor, avoiding my gaze. "I guess we all have our moments."

"You definitely had one out there," said Luke.

"It's okay. I get it." Clem said to Nick. I smiled at her gratefully.

I then remembered Marie...

I placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at Clementine. "Nick... he lost his mom. We took care of someone who got bit."

"It was my fault. I-" Nick muttered before I interrupted him. "It was NO ONE'S fault." I insisted, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly. "We tried to control it... but then he turned, and his mom was standing right there and she got attacked..."

Nick closed his eyes at the memory of Marie... and that day...

"Anyway, I hope you understand." Nick said, standing up.

"I do... yeah..." Clem nodded. Nick smiled, satisfied as he left the kitchen. I smiled with a proud look on my face. That's my Nick!

Clementine noticed my look and asked "What do you think of him?"

I rose an eyebrow, caught off guard by the question. "Me? Well, I think Nick is a good man... kind... goofy... easily embarrassed..."

Clementine smirked at me. "Are you two a couple?"

I blinked in surprise. THE HELL?!

"What?! N-No! We're just... taking it slow..." I said frantically. Then I realized my mistake. I looked down at Clementine, who was still smirking at me, and sighed in defeat. "Yeah, we're a couple..."

Just then, the door opened and Anne fell in landing on her back. She swore under her breath before she got up with a big smirk on her face. "Ha! You admitted it!" she exclaimed, pointing at me triumphantly with a wide grin. "I knew it! You two are in loooove~!"

I growled at her and glared out of the corner of my eye.

"Anne." I began, dangerously calm. "I'll give you a three second head start..."

She smiled nervously, realizing her mistake before she made a break for it out of the kitchen and up the stairs. After three seconds, I ran after her, hearing Clementine's amused giggles and Luke's chuckling in the background.


	6. He Was Here

** I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan **

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I smiled as Anne raced past me to get to Clem's room with a mischievous grin on her face. I chuckle. It's always dangerous whenever Anne is awake before anyone... You never know what kinda prank she'll pull... usually, she's sleeping in, and if she's awake before anybody else, it usually means she's up to something.

She skidded to a halt when she reached the door and opened it, slamming the door against the wall just as I reached her side.

"GOOD MORNING, CLEMENTINE!" she screamed as she dived and landed on Clementine's bed, bouncing a little to shake her. I had to let a small giggle. This was TOO funny!

Clementine's bright hazel eyes shot open, and she cringed a little in pain. "OW!" she shouted.

I smirked as I leaned against the doorway, hearing Rebecca complaining about all the noise. "Good morning, sleepyhead." I said, ignoring Rebecca's shouts in the background. "You ready to head out with Nick and Pete?"

Clementine glanced at the older girl, who was still laying on her bed, and smirked evilly.

"Hold on..." she told me before shoving Anne off the bed so that she landed on the floor with a thud.

"OW!" Anne shouted, glaring at Clem, who smiled in satisfaction.

"Okay. NOW I'm ready."

I could only chuckle at the girl's antics.

* * *

"Be careful." I warned Nick as he grabbed his rifle.

"I will." he told me. I smiled and kissed him on the cheek, making him blush.

"We'll be back soon." Pete said as he, Nick, and Clem headed towards the front door. Nick gave a wave before they stepped out the door. I ran up to the window and watched as they disappeared into the forest.

"You think it's a good idea that Clementine heads out there too?" Anne asked as she came up to me. I nodded. "She's got Nick and Pete with her, so she'll be fine." I told her as I gave her a reassuring smile. She looked back at the window. "If you say so..." she muttered. "Did you hear Rebecca going off at her last night?"

I nodded, remembering hearing the pregnant woman snap at her while I was chasing Anne last night...

"Can't she ever give anyone a break?" I asked, blowing a strand of my hair away in frustration.

Anne smirked. "Probably not."

We both exchange a look before we begin laughing.

"What's this about me?"

The two of us immediately stop laughing and freeze. Aw crap...

We slowly turned around, seeing Rebecca standing not too far away from us with her arms crossed over her chest. "Welll?" she asked.

"Um, nothing!" I said quickly. "Nothing at all!"

Rebecca shot us a look. "Yeah, that's what I thought." she grumbled before walking away.

I breath a sigh of relief. That was close. The wrong choice of words could have REALLY pissed her off.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

It's been a while since Nick, Pete, and Clementine left to go to the fish traps. They should be back by now...

What's taking them so long? They shouldn't be out there when it's dark...

Tess started pacing the room nervously. "Come on, where is he?!" she asked.

"Tess, calm down-" Carlos said calmly. Tess whirled around to glare at him. "Calm down?! How the fuck do you expect me to calm down?! Nick, Pete, and Clem have been gone for over seven hours! Something's happened to them! We gotta go look for them!"

"Tess, I'm sure that they'll get back here soon." Luke gently said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "But what if they don't?! What if they don't come back?!" Tess asked.

"Tess, if they don't show up by tomorrow morning, we'll go look for them." Carlos said. "For now, you should get some rest."

"How do you expect us to rest when Nick, Pete, and Clementine are out there somewhere, possibly in danger?!" I snapped. "Anne, I'll keep an eye out for them. If they don't show up by morning, we'll look for them." Carlos said.

I growl and crossed my arms.

"Now get some rest." he ordered.

Grumbling under my breath, I trudged up to my room.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

It's early in the morning now, and they STILL haven't shown up! That's it, I'm heading out!

I stormed down the stairs, finding everyone in the living room. Anne is on the couch, fast asleep, of course.

"Tess!" Luke exclaimed standing up.

"Luke, get the guns, we're heading out!" I said boldly.

"What?! No, I'll go." Luke insisted. "Luke, I am NOT going to sit here and do nothing while my boyfriend, Clem, and Pete could be eaten alive, or worse...!" I snapped.

"I'll do it, Tess! And besides... I owe you... I have to make it up to you..." he muttered. I blinked in surprise. Is he talking about... that night...?

"I'm going." Alvin said as he stepped up. Rebecca's eyes widened. "Al, no!" she pleaded.

"Bec, we can't just wait here! We have to do something about it." Alvin said. Luke then came back with two rifles. One for him, and one for Al.

"Be careful." Carlos warned.

"You got it." Luke said. He looked back at me one more time before he and Alvin left the house.

* * *

Three hours have passed, and they STILL haven't shown up yet!

Carlos, Rebecca, Anne, and I all sat at the kitchen table, waiting anxiously. Anne has her head held in her hands, and she is tapping her foot impatiently. I can tell she is worried for them as much as I am...

Suddenly, the back door opened up and Clementine stepped in. Anne stood up so fast that she nearly fell out of the chair.

"Clementine!" she exclaimed.

"Clementine, are you alright?" asked Carlos. "Luke's not with you?"

"Where's Alvin?!" Rebecca asked desperately.

"It's been hours! What happened? Where are they?" Carlos asked.

"We were attacked." said Clementine.

"By who?" asked Anne.

"Walkers... Pete got bit..."

What?! Oh God, no! Not Pete!

"What?! Where were you?! Where were you exactly?!" Rebecca demanded. I frowned. "Rebecca, give her some time to breathe!" I scolded.

"Down by the stream." Clementine answered.

"We gotta go!" said Rebecca.

"Just a minute-" Carlos began.

"My husband is still out there! GET THE GUNS!"

Carlos dashed out of the kitchen as I turned to Clem.

"Where's Nick?" I asked. "We were in a shed. He had me get out of there while he distracted the walkers..." Clementine trailed off. No... He can't be...!

"Luke and Alvin went out looking for you. I told them not to go, but they insisted..." Rebecca said as she turned away from Clem. Carlos then came running with three rifles. I took one and we were about to step out the door, but Carlos turned back to Clem.

"Clementine, Anne, can you please watch Sarah?" Carlos requested.

"You got it." Anne nodded.

"I'll take care of her. You can trust me." Clem said.

"Thank you." Carlos said gratefully. "Just stay inside and don't open the door for anything. We'll be back soon, and... thank you..."

"Be careful!" I heard Anne call. I looked over my shoulder. "I always am." I replied before Carlos, Rebecca, and I ran out of the house.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I sighed when the door slammed shut.

Guess I'm in charge...

"Where's Sarah?" asked Clem. "She's in her room." I answered. I followed her up the stairs and she opened the door, just in time to hear Sarah say, "Say cheese!"

There was a flash and Clementine blinked, taking a step back. I looked through the doorway and saw Sarah holding a camera.

"I found this under the house! There was all kinds of old stuff!" Sarah said with a grin as she handed Clementine the photo she took of her. "Take one of me!"

"Uh..." Clementine said uncertainly as she turned to me. I smiled.

"Go ahead, Clem." I said. Sarah smiled and handed her the camera. "Get me in a good pose, okay?" she asked as she smiled. "Okay, I'm ready!" she called through the smile. I hold back a snicker at this.

Clem snapped the picture and we took a look at it. It showed Sarah smiling widely.

"Do you want yours taken?" Sarah asked me. I shook my head. "Nah, I'm good." I replied. "Please?" she asked me with pleading eyes.

Don't fall for it, Anne... don't fall for it...

Ah, screw it.

"Alright, sure." I give in, smiling lightly. Sarah smiles widely as Clem hands her the camera. She takes my picuture and we look at it as it slides out. The picture shows me smirking as I cross my arms. "You look so cool in this!" Sarah smiled as she handed me the picure. I smirk and shove it into my pocket. "Thanks."

Sarah set the camera down. "Where's my dad?" she asked raising an eyebrow. Clem and I froze. What should we say?

"Guys? You're scaring me..." Sarah said. We exchanged looks before we turned back to Sarah. "He'll be fine." Clem said. "Are you sure?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, Carlos is tough, he'll be back soon." I said. Sarah turned around and started sniffling.

"S-sorry, I just need to..." Sarah trailed off as she crouched down and pulled her knees up to her chest. Great, now we've got her depressed!

Clementine knelt down and gave her a smile. That seemed to cheer Sarah up, because she smiled right back.

"Wanna see what I found?" she asked us before reaching under her bed and pulling out a gun. "Can you teach me how to use it?"

My eye widened. "Sarah... where did you get that?" I asked slowly.

"From under the house." she said simply. Clementine looked up at me. I sighed. Carlos is SO gonna kill me for this...

I nod. "Go ahead." I sighed again.

Clem turned to Sarah. "Okay, but remember, it's not a toy." she warned. Sarah nodded. "I know."

"First, remember, it's just a thing."

Sarah held the gun close to her face as she pretended to aim at something. "What does that mean?"

"I, uh... don't know." Clementine admitted. I stood to the side and watched as Clementine had Sarah straighten her arms.

"The most important thing is when you shoot, you always aim for the head." she advised.

"Got it, but what if it's a person?"

"Then you just keep shooting." Clementine answered.

"What should I shoot?" Sarah asked as she aimed the Glock 17 in front of her, then turned around and accidentally aimed it at Clem's head.

HOLY CRAP!

"Don't do that!" Clementine cried ducking down. Sarah's eyes widened and she lowered the gun. "S-sorry! Sorry..." she apologized nervously. "Maybe I could practice outside?" she wondered aloud as she wandered over to her window. I breathed a sigh of relief as Clem and I stepped up to her. Glad that thing was empty...

"Hey, Luke's back!" Sarah said happily as she peered through the window. I rose an eyebrow as I saw a shadow figure approach the cabin. Sarah went downstairs and Clem and I quickly followed her. When we reached the last step, we noticed Sarah hiding in the living room as someone knocked on the front door. "That's not Luke..."

Well, obviously, it's not.

"Clem, I think I know him..." Sarah whimpered. "He can't see me. You have to make him go away, please!"

"Go find somewhere to hide!" Clem ordered. What?! She's gonna go answer the door?! Is she crazy?!

"What?! No! I'll do it!" I insisted.

"Hello?" we heard the man call as he knocked on the door louder this time.

"Clem, you can't do this! Let me do it!" I hiss.

"Just HIDE!" she whispered. Sarah started hyperventilating. "Clem, I can't breathe! I-I can't breathe...!" Sarah gasped. "Sarah, calm down!" I whispered. "Shh!" Clem warned as she edged towards the front door. I grabbed Sarah by the arm and we ducked around the corner. Clementine was just about to lock the door when the man opened it.

"Hello there." he greeted.

I froze. That voice... I-it can't be...!

"Hello..." Clementine said uncertainly.

"How are ya?"

"Okay, how about you?" she replied.

"Just fine, thank you. My family and I are set up a ways down the river. I'm kinda surprised we've haven't run into each other yet. What's your name?"

I clenched my fist tightly.

It's him... Carver! Bill's found us! DAMN IT!

"I'm... Carley..." I heard Clem lie. Carley? Was she someone she knew?

"Carley? That's a sweet name." Carver remarked. "You mind if I come in, Carley? I've been out all day and this heat has me cooked." he said as he stepped in before Clem could protest.

I ushered Sarah behind the couch and we both crouched down.

"Would you please leave?" Clementine asked politely.

Carver ignored her and started to walk around the cabin. Please don't come this way, please don't come this way...

"This is a nice place." Carver commented. "Kinda cozy. Is there anybody else around?"

"Just me and... dad." Clementine said, hesitating on the last part.

"Where is he?"

"Out."

"What's your dad's name?"

"Ed."

"Well, he sounds like a strong guy." said Carver.

"Yeah... he is."

"Well, I'll cut to the chase; I'm out looking for my people, nine of them to be exact. They've been gone a long time, and... I'm worried they might've gotten lost. Maybe you've seen them?" Carver asked.

I clench my fist even more tightly. I'm doing everything I can to keep myself from attacking the son at a bitch right there. If Tess was here, she'd be thinking the same thing...

"Couple of farm boys and an old man... Spanish guy and his daughter. Quiet girl, a bit taller than you. A big, black guy, about this size... a pretty little pregnant lady, and most recently, a girl with caramel brown hair... pretty smart... and a girl wearing a bandanna over her eye... Funny one, usually wears this black flannel shirt..."

"That's a lot of people to lose." Clem remarked. Carver then stepped into the kitchen, and I saw our chance.

"Come on!" I whispered as I led Sarah back up to her room. I closed the door and frantically looked around for a hiding spot when I saw the bed. "Quick, under the bed!" I ordered. She slid under the bed and I followed. "Whatever you do, DO NOT MAKE A SOUND." I hissed. She nodded, and we were still. I heard footsteps, followed by a door opening.

"Huh, I knew someone who had a guitar." I heard him say. My eye widened. He's in my room!

"Dad found that when we first came here. I've been trying to play it..." said Clem.

"Looks just like the one that girl had..."

"That's weird..." Clem said.

"Yeah... it is..."

The footsteps grew louder until they reached the door. The door opened up and I saw Carver step in.

"I told you, nobody is here!" Clementine insisted.

"Seems that way..." Carver muttered. "Sorry. Didn't mean to be rude. Just couldn't leave you here with a good conscience if someone was pokin' around, right?"

What the hell is HE doing here?!

"Sure..." Clementine replied. He stepped forward, but he noticed something on the floor. He knelt down as Sarah and I scooted away from him and picked something up. SHIT, THE PHOTO! NOW HE KNOWS WE'RE HERE!

"Who is this?" Carver asked, showing the photo of Sarah to Clementine.

"Must be someone who lived here." she said plainly.

They were silent for a moment, then Carver started to speak.

"You have no idea who these people are, do you?" he asked suspiciously.

My breath hitched. He's figured us out!

"I don't know what you're talking about." Clementine replied without missing a beat.

"When you met 'em, how much did they trust you?" Carver asked.

"What's your point?"

He then said something that he used to tell us all the time back at the camp.

"If people don't trust you, how can you trust them?"

I silently growled. "Well, I think I've troubled you long enough." Carver said as he stepped out and started to head towards the front door. "I can let myself out."

"Wait! Who are you?" Clementine called.

"You have a real good day now." I heard Carver say as he left. I climbed out from under the bed, followed by Sarah, and we all watched Carver disappear into the woods. All the while, I was seething.

"W-what if he comes back?" Sarah asked.

I let a growl escape my lips.

"Tess is NOT gonna be happy when she hears this..."

* * *

I paced around the living room while Sarah and Clementine sat together on the couch.

Clem broke the silence. "We have to find the others." she said standing up. I nodded in agreement.

"But we can't leave the house!" Sarah reminded us as we stepped into the living room, just in time to see Luke and the others step in.

"Clementine!" Luke exclaimed as Sarah ran up to Carlos and hugged him.

"Any luck finding Nick?" I asked Tess as I stepped up to her. She shook her head. "No, we couldn't find him..." she said.

Sarah looked down at her feet. "A man was here..."

The group froze and all eyes were directed at her. Tess clenched her fists tightly. "What did she say?!" Rebecca asked, obviously shocked.

"Someone came to the cabin. Clementine talked to him." Sarah blurted out. "And you just opened the door for him?!" Rebecca asked.

"Rebecca, back off!" I snapped.

"I didn't open the door! I was gonna lock it, but he just walked in!" Clem defended herself.

"And you just let her do it?" Rebecca asked, turning her attention to me. I frowned. "I was gonna do it, but Clem insisted that Sarah and I hide!"

"She's telling the truth!" Sarah agreed.

"Did she say his name? Did he say what his name was?" Carlos asked desperately.

"I know EXACTLY who it was!" Tess growled.

"Maybe it wasn't him?" Rebecca suggested.

I growled. "You know damn well who it was!" I snapped.

Carlos looked down at Clem. "Look, Clem. Just tell us what he looked like. What was he wearing?" he asked.

"He wore a brown coat..."

"Did it have a lining? A collar?"

"Yeah. Fur..."

"That's definitely him!" I yelled as Tess slammed her fist down on the counter.

"DAMN IT!" she screamed.

"You're not gonna hurt anyone, are you?" Sarah asked Carlos. "Of course he won't, Sarah. Your dad's the nicest man I know. Which is why he's not gonna do anything crazy, or... _not nice, _right?" Luke said as he looked at Carlos.

Carlos placed a hand on Sarah's back. "You know these are bad people, sweetie. They will do or say anything to hurt us..."

"What do you think? Did it seem like he was coming back?" asked Luke.

Definitely...

Sarah pulled out the photo of her. "He saw a picture of me..."

"A picture?! What were you doing taking pictures?!" Carlos angrily asked, snatching the picture from her before turning to me. "And you let her do this?!"

Now he's blaming me for this?! I stepped up to him and said, "Don't lay that one on me! We were just having fun! How were we supposed to know that Carver would barge in?!"

"Carlos, Anne! Both of you calm down. Alright, you're scaring Sarah." Luke said.

Clementine stepped in, "It's my fault. I took the picture."

Sarah's eyes widened. "No! I asked her too! It's MY fault!" she said, taking the blame.

Carlos sighed. "Sarah...?"

I then remembered something. "He saw my guitar."

Tess growled. "Shit! Now he KNOWS we're here!" she exclaimed.

"He was scouting. We got lucky. He wasn't expecting to find us. Clementine must have surprised him. If she hadn't been there... Well, he was too smart to stick around, but he'll be back with the rest. We don't have much time." said Carlos.

"He's right. Everybody pack your stuff! We're moving out!" Luke said.

Alvin stepped out of the kitchen looking angry, probably about the Carver incident. Rebecca followed after him, saying, "Alvin, wait!"

"Who is this guy?" asked Clementine. Tess closed her eyes. "You wanna know who he is? He's the son of a bitch that killed my mother..." she said bitterly.

I stepped up to talk to Clem. "Clem, I don't know what he told you, but William Carver is a dangerous man. He's the leader of a camp not too far from here, and he is VERY smart... These guys were... lucky to escape." I said, crossing my arms.

"How do you and Tess know him?" Clem asked.

I hesitated. Should I...? No, she deserves to know the truth.

"Let's just say that Tess and I were members of his community once..."

"But why is Tess so... angry?" asked Clementine. Tess closed her eyes sadly. "Because he was the bastard I used to call 'Daddy'..." She reopened her eyes and laid a hand on Clem's shoulder. "Listen to me, Clementine. Now that he's seen you, you'll be safer with us."

She looked up at us. "We have to find Nick."

"You know where he is, right?" I asked. "Yeah." Clem replied.

"Alright. Everybody grab your stuff. Let's hit the road!" Luke said.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

The eight of us walked down the trail. Rebecca was up ahead talking to Clementine. Anne is not too far from me with her bags and her guitar slung over her shoulder.

I was anxious to find my boyfriend. I hope he wasn't bitten... or torn open. Or ANYTHING!

"UGH! Where IS he?!" I asked impatiently.

Anne stepped up behind me, holding her hands up in slight surrender. She said, "Whoa! Calm down, Tess! We're gonna find him!"

I glared at her. "We'd better..." I mumbled.

Suddenly, Clem strayed from the path, heading into the woods. Anne and I exchanged a look of confusion before we followed her, finding a small shed. Clem pointed at it. "That's it. That's where we were." she said. Luke and I walked forward with Anne and Clem following close behind. Luke quickly dispatched of the lurker in front of the shed doors. I looked at him, and he nodded.

"Nick!" I called. "Baby, you in there?"

All I got was a groan in response. I looked at Luke again, scared to death. He turned to Clem. "Get the door." he said. Clem cautiously opens the doors as we slowly step inside, seeing Nick's body slumped on the floor. He was pale as shit, but he was alive.

"Nick!" I said with relief as I went to help him. He smiled weakly. "Hey, honey. You got any aspirin?" he asked, obviously hungover.

Oh Lord...

Anne walked over to us with a deadpan look with an empty whiskey jar in her hand. "Really, Nick? You get stuck in a shed, and you get DRUNK?" she asked.

Nick smiled sheepishly, but it soon fell. "Baby, what's wrong?" I asked before he suddenly hugged me.

"Pete's dead..."

I hugged him back. I wanted to mourn him too, but now was not the time or place for it.

"I know, baby. We have to keep moving, okay? Carver came to the cabin. You think you can make it?" I asked. He nodded. "Yeah." he replied. "Good, then let's go." Luke said as the four of us stepped out of the shed and caught up to the rest of the group. We began to walk down the path again when Nick stepped up to Clementine.

"Hey Clem? I just wanted to say... thanks for not giving up on me back there." he said. Clem smiled lightly.

"Don't worry about it." she replied. Nick smiled, but it quickly fell as he slowed his pace. I slowed mine too as I took his hand in mine. I could see Anne giving Nick a look of sympathy before she turned back around as we continued our journey down the path.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I stared straight ahead as we walked down the path. Poor Nick... I can't imagine what he's going through right now...

"You... sure you still wanna come with us?" I heard Luke ask. "Look, I know we got off to a rough start, and I can't make any promises that it won't get any rougher, but we all know you now."

Clem smiled slightly. "Yeah. I'm with you guys." she said.

I smiled. "We're glad to have you." I said.

"Not everyone is..." she muttered, looking over her shoulder.

"They'll get there." Luke said. "I figure we got about four or five days to reach those mountains." he explained, pulling out a map, showing it to Clem and I. "Now if they're tracking us, we should be able to lose 'em up there."

Four to five days?! Oh boy, this is gonna be a LONG walk...

Rebecca sounded completely surprised. "Five days?!"

"It's gonna be OK, Bec." Alvin assured her. "We have to keep moving. It's our only choice..." said Carlos.

He's right... We have to keep moving. Now that Carver's shown up, he will do anything to find us... and bring us back... and he won't stop until he does...

I sighed inwardly and closed my eye. That monster just doesn't know when to give up, does he?


	7. Nightmares

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

It's been at least a day since we left the cabin...

Tess and Nick lingered behind us. I noticed Clem up ahead, just a couple paces behind Luke. I quickened my pace to catch up to her.

"Hey Clem." I greeted, gaining her attention.

"Yeah?"

"Back at the cabin, when Carver came... you said your name was Carley... Was Carley someone you knew?" I asked.

She seemed surprised by my question. "Yeah... she was... she was in the last group I was in."

"What happened to her, if you don't mind me asking?" I asked. She looked sad for a moment. "After we escaped from a bandit attack, this lady started blaming others on giving them supplies. When we weren't looking, she shot Carley..."

I blinked in surprise. "Oh... what happened next?"

"We brought the lady with us, but she stole the RV and left..."

I looked away in shame slightly. I... probably shouldn't have asked that. I looked back at her, noticing that she looked slightly depressed. Ah man, now what?!

I glanced around, seeing a small creek next to the path with a log a couple feet above it. I smirked as an idea popped into my head. Maybe this will cheer her up...

"Hey Clem! Betcha I can make it across that log!" I said with a grin. She gave me a questioning look as I walked over to Carlos. "Here. Hold this for me." I told Carlos as I handed him my bags and guitar before he could even object. I then stepped onto the log and spread my arms put to balance myself before I started walking across the log. "What're you doing?" I heard Nick ask. I ignored him and raised one foot up and stretched it out.

"Hey, look! One foot!" I exclaimed, trying to keep my balance. I could see Clementine smile a little bit, as well as Tess. Carlos rolled his eyes as the rest looked on in amusement. "You're gonna fall in." Rebecca scoffed. "No, I ain't!" I retorted.

I took a step forward, but I slipped. Aw shit...

I lost my balance and I fell into the small creek below. I could hear Tess cracking up as I landed in the stream. I sat up and pulled my now wet hair out of my face, seeing most of the group chuckling at me. I eventually join in. As Tess and Luke climbed down to help me out, I could see Clem smiling again.

Mission accomplished.

* * *

Once I was out of the creek, we continued our trek. Up ahead, I noticed Tess wasn't with Nick this time. The memory of her suddenly vomiting in the morning a few times popped into my head. She's brushed it off like it was nothing the last few times, but something's up...

Is she hiding something?

I quickened my pace to catch up with her.

"Hey Tess." I greeted. She smiled back at me. "Hi Anne." she said.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She rose an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been vomiting in the morning for a while now. Are you SURE you're okay?"

"Of course I am." she replied quickly as she quickened her pace. I rose an eyebrow. Why does she seem so jumpy right now? What's she hiding?

"I'm serious, Tess. What's up?" I said as I narrowed my eye.

"I..."

"Hey Tess! Can you come here for a sec?" Luke called suddenly. She looked as if she was glad Luke called her, because I saw a smile of relief on her face before she darted over to him. I paused for a moment and let Carlos and Alvin pass me.

Seriously, what is up with her? Why won't she answer me?

As we round a corner, I'm yanked out of my thoughts when I suddenly feel something wrap around my foot and I'm yanked off of my feet.

WHAT THE?!

* * *

**Tess's POV**

"AHHHH! NICK! TESS! HEEELLLPP!"

ANNE!

My legs pumped with adrenaline with Nick, Clementine, and Luke right behind me. I stopped cold when I saw Anne... hanging upside down from her roped foot... from a tree...

"DAMN IT! NOW I'M HANGING FROM THIS GODDAMN TREE!" Anne screamed, flailing her arms around as the rest of the group caught up to us. Luke, Clem, Nick, Sarah, and I were trying not to laugh.

"What the hell is this?!" asked Alvin.

"M-must be a trap!" I stammered to them before I shouted up to a fuming Anne, "Hey! Anne! HOW'S IT HANGING?!"

By now, Luke was covering his mouth to try and hold in his muffled laughter. Anne managed to spin around to face us, crossed her arms, and glared at us with her visible eye.

"Haha... You're hilarious... NOW GET ME DOWN!"

This only causes me to let out a chuckle.

"You think whoever set this trap us is still around here?" asked Alvin. Rebecca shuddered. "There's no way I'm gonna stick around to find out. Come on, guys. Hurry up and get her down." she said.

I stepped up to the tree to examine it. Whoever set up this trap did a pretty good job on it...

"Hm, this might take a while..."

Anne crossed her arms. "Oh, go ahead. Take your time, I got nothing better to do here. Might as well get comfortable..." she commented sarcastically.

I climbed up to the tree and sat on the branch to examine the rope. I tried untying it, but had no luck. My eyes then wandered down to my knife, and back at the rope...

If only I could- HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!

"Hey, Nick!" I yelled down to the ground where Nick was sitting. He looked at me, standing up. "Yeah?" he asked.

I pointed to the ground below Anne. "I need you to stand right there!"

He did so, with a confused look on his face.

I nodded. "Good." I said. "Now get ready to catch her, okay?" I got my knife ready as Nick widened his eyes.

"WAIT, WHAT?!" he exclaimed just as I cut the rope.

"AHHH!" Anne screamed as she fell. Nick quickly held his arms out to catch her.

Despite having Nick catch her, Anne ended up landing on his back.

I winced. Ooh... Maybe I shouldn't have done that...

I climbed down to help them up. "Sorry, couldn't think of anything else..." I said sheepishly.

Nick groaned and rubbed his now sore back. "Could you at least WARN us next time?" he grumbled. I smiled sheepishly in response.

Carlos stepped up to us. "Now that we've got out of the way, we should keep moving." he suggested. I nodded as Anne staggered to her feet. We're wasting time. The longer we stop to rest, the closer Carver will get to us.

I helped Anne get the remains of the rope trap off her foot before we continued down the trail.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I shook my head to clear the dizziness that remained. Man, that hurt!

I glanced up at the sky, which was beginning to darken.

"We should stop, guys." I spoke up. Rebecca stopped walking and nodded as she held her back. "Yeah, I need to rest..." she said.

Wow, we actually agreed on something!

Then again, she's carrying a baby, so it's pretty hard for her to walk long distances...

Carlos looked hesitant as he looked at the rest of the group. Luke spoke up before he could. "Alright, y'all. Let's stop here for the night."

We all headed into a clear patch in the woods and set our things down.

Once we had made a small campfire, Luke turned to us. "I'll keep watch. You guys get your rest. You're gonna need it." said Luke.

"You sure?" Tess asked. He nodded. "Go ahead. Get some rest. I'll be fine." he insists.

I laid down, using one of my bags as a pillow, and stared up into the night sky.

A while later, my eye started to get droopy, and I let sleep take me.

* * *

_I found myself standing in an empty part of town. I blinked. That's weird. Where is everyone? I looked up into the sky. It was pitch black. _

_I wandered around, hoping to find out what the hell was going on. _

_"Hello?" I called. No answer. _

_Suddenly, I felt someone grab me from behind. I then heard laughter. _

_"Well, well, look what we have here! The little Cyclops is out for a stroll!" I heard a boy say. I froze. No... not him! Anyone but him!_

_"What's a freak like you doing out here?" I heard another voice ask. I struggled __to get out of their grip. "Let me go!" I yelled. I was suddenly punched in the face._

_"I don't think so!" the voice from before laughed. I growled and elbowed him in the gut. He responded by twisting my arm behind my back and slamming me against the wall and held my face to it. "Now that wasn't very nice!" he chuckled darkly. He then punched me again, sending me towards the ground, scraping my knees in the process._

_"How about we teach you a lesson, huh?" he asked as he grabbed me by the shirt. "A freak like you shouldn't exist! You don't belong here!" he exclaimed with a cruel smile as he slammed me against the wall again. He grabbed my head and rammed the side of my face into it several times. Each slam drew blood from my face. "Learn your place!"_

_I could hear the rest laughing cruelly at me as I tried to fight him off. He then turned me around, and punched me straight in the stomach. _

_I gasped, clutching my stomach as I fell to the ground. I couldn't breathe._

_The boys then started kicking and punching me as I writhed on the ground. _

_"STOP! PLEASE, STOP!" I begged. The beating continued. Several minutes later, I had a black eye, several bruises, and blood everywhere. I'm then kicked in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me again._

_"You think the freak's learned her lesson yet, guys?" I could hear him ask. The others disagreed. Through my swollen eye, I could see a cruel and evil grin as he grabbed me by the back of my shirt. "I've got an idea that will surely teach her a lesson! Leave the rest to me!"_

_I stiffened. Oh God, no... Not this! Not again!_

_The rest of my attackers ran away as the boy dragged me into a nearby alley as I struggled to get out of his grip. _

_"I am so going to enjoy this, Cyclops!" he laughed evilly. _

_"NO! NO! LET ME GO! PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed. He then threw me down, stunning me briefly. Once I recovered, I could see him approaching me menacingly, his cruel grin glowing in the dark as he pulled out a switchblade. I backed away from him in fear._

_"Please... no! Stop! STOP!"_

* * *

"NOOO!" I screamed as I sat up, gasping for breath. It was just a dream... thank god...

"Anne?" I heard Luke ask. I looked up, seeing him sitting not too far away from me with a look of concern on his face. "You okay?"

I swallowed and nodded. "Y-yeah, I'm fine." I lie. "Just a bad dream."

"You sure you're okay?" Luke asked. "Looked like it was pretty bad..."

"I'm fine, Luke." I insisted. "It was just a bad dream."

He seemed to buy it as he turned back around. I sighed quietly as I laid back down and rolled over on my side.

That dream... it was just like that night...

I shut my eye tightly. No, Anne... don't think about it...

I subconciously placed a hand on my left arm.

Just... don't think about it...


	8. A Friendly Stranger

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

It's now been five days since we left the cabin, and we are tired as hell, especially Rebecca.

I slouched over as I walked. Honestly, how much longer are we gonna walk?!

Up ahead, I could see a large red bridge, as well as mountains in the distance. I inwardly cheered. We're almost there!

I set my bags down as Luke pulled out the map to examine it. Clementine climbed up onto a large rock and peered through a pair of binoculars.

"See anything?" Luke asked.

"She better see something." Alvin moaned. "We've been walking for a damn week."

"There's a lift or something." Clem observed.

"Chair lift? Must be that ski resort." Luke said before looking back down at the map.

"I've never been skiing before." Clem said. "Bec and I went skiing once." Alvin brought up. Rebecca smiled. "It wasn't pretty." she admitted with a chuckle. Clementine picked the binoculars back up. "There's a building on the mountain." Clem said, gaining our attention. "What's it look like?" Luke asked.

"It's big."

"That sounds like a good place to spend the night," said Tess.

"There's a little house by the bridge."

"How big is it?" asked Carlos.

"Pretty small." Clem said as she put the binoculars up and climbed down. "We have to cross that bridge. Let's go." Carlos said crossing his arms.

"Hold on, now. We can't go sprinting across that thing, OK?" Luke pointed out. "If we get spotted, we're gonna be trapped."

"Going around that lake will take too long."

"Right, but we've got no idea what's out there. I'm gonna sneak across and make sure it's clear before we bring the whole group over."

"You think splitting up the group is a good idea?" asked Carlos. Luke smiled lightly. "I never said it was a GOOD idea, but it's better than risking everyone at once."

"What's your plan, then?" asked Tess.

"Clem and I can scoot across low and slow and make sure nobody's waiting for us on the other side."

"We'll have a tough time covering you from back here." Alvin pointed out.

"Well, we just turn back if it gets hairy." said Luke.

"Clementine should stay here, she's-"

Luke cut him off. "She's what?"

"She's just a little girl, Luke."

"I can do it." Clem said confidently. "It's gonna be fine. We'll signal you guys in ten minutes. Just watch for a light at the far side." Luke instructed.

"I can go too." Nick said standing up. We exchanged nervous looks. He really shouldn't be doing stuff like this... especially since Pete...

"You can stay here with the group." Luke said.

Nick frowned. "I'm fine, Luke."

Carlos crossed his arms. "I don't like this." he muttered. Luke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, when's the last time you liked anything, Carlos?" he shot back. "I'll cover you." said Nick.

Luke sighed. "Come on." he told Clem as they headed towards the bridge. Nick started to go after them, but Tess placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her before he reluctantly stepped back.

I sat down, watching Luke and Clementine until they disappeared from our sight.

* * *

For several minutes, we stood there, waiting for Luke to give the signal.

I started tapping my foot impatiently.

What's taking them so long? Did they get held up or something?

I looked up, and I noticed something.

"Hey guys, what's that?" I asked, gaining their attention.

On the bridge, I could see a figure approaching Luke and Clem. He seemed to be holding a rifle, but he lowered it as he approached them.

What's going on? Is that man holding them up?

Nick's eyes widened when he saw the mysterious man.

"They're in trouble!" he exclaimed as he ran towards the bridge before we could object.

"Nick, wait!" Tess called as we darted after him. Damn it, he's gonna get himself killed if he keeps doing this!

Moments later, when we reach the bridge, I can see Nick aiming his rifle at someone, but I can't see who. Suddenly, we hear a gunshot ring out. We pick up our speed. What happened?! Who shot who?!

As we reach the bridge, I see someone falling off the side and into the lake below.

I can see Luke and Nick arguing. The man from earlier is gone. What happened?!

Once we caught up, I heard Nick ask, "Did I get him?! Where is he?!"

"I told you not to shoot!" Luke exclaimed. "Why didn't you wait for our signal?"

"We thought you were in trouble! You were wavin' your arms, so I thought that meant shoot!"

"He was going to help us..." Clementine explained.

Wait, who was going to help them?!

Nick scowled. "How do you know that?!"

Luke shook his head. "Dammit, Nick! I told you not to shoot!" he snapped. "How was I supposed to hear you? You gave me a clear shot!" Nick retorted.

Luke then sighed. "That shot rang out for miles! Come on, we need to get off this bridge." he muttered as he turned on his heel. Once all of us made it across the bridge, I placed a hand on my hip and glared at them.

"Alright, would someone mind telling me what the f*ck is going on?!" I snapped.

"We ran into someone, but Nick here thought he was gonna shoot us, so he shot him!" Luke explained.

HE DID WHAT?!

"WHAT?!" Tess exclaimed.

"Who was that back there?" Rebecca asked as she leaned over, holding her back. "Looked like he had a gun on you!" Alvin said. "That asshole drew on me! He was about to shoot!" Nick said.

"Oh, was he?" Luke asked. "I'm telling you, man, he drew first!" Nick defended himself.

"That's not what it looked like to me!" Tess said.

"Everybody calm down!" Clementine said. "What did you see, Clem? Was that guy gonna shoot?" asked Alvin.

"F*ck you, Luke! You've been on my case the whole week!" Nick snapped. "And why do you think that is?" Luke asked calmly.

"He wasn't gonna do anything..." Clem told us. Nick scowled. "I know what I saw!" he insisted.

I frowned. "Just because it LOOKED like he was gonna shoot doesn't give you an excuse to shoot that guy in the f*cking neck!" I snapped as I stepped up to him. "You coulda hit Clementine or Luke!"

"Yeah, but I didn't!" Nick shot back. I opened my mouth to say something, but Tess stepped in between us and gently pushed us apart. "Alright you two, break it up!" she said.

"Look, I know Pete was close to you, but-", Luke began to say, but Nick angrily cut him off. "Don't you f*cking talk about him!"

"Do you think he was with Carver?" asked Carlos.

"I don't know... I- No. I don't think so. But he fell over." Luke said. "He fell off the damn bridge?!" Alvin asked.

"We have to keep moving." Carlos butted in. "I can't. I need a minute..." Rebecca said. I looked at her. She seemed pretty tired as she sat down.

"Fine." Carlos agreed. "Luke, Tess, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked. Carlos, Luke, and Tess headed over to a tree nearby. Nick scowled and stormed over to a bench over by the station.

"Hey, Clem? You got anything to eat?" asked Alvin. "Bec's dying here."

"Alvin, I told you, I'm fine." Rebecca insisted.

"Sorry. I'm out." Clem said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"What about you, Anne?" he asked me. I shoved my hands into my pockets. "Nope. Sorry." I admitted.

"Wish we still had those juice boxes..."

"Me too..." Sarah agreed.

Clem looked at the building nearby. "That man said he had food in the station." she brought up.

"Mind checking it out? Maybe we could spend the night in there, but looks a little small for us, though..."

"Sure."

Alvin smiled. "Thanks, Clem." he said as he sat down next to Rebecca. I looked down at Clem.

"Mind if I come with ya?" I asked. She nodded. "Sure."

The two of us headed over to the station. Nick looked up and frowned as we approached him.

"Thanks for backing me up there." he muttered sarcastically. I crossed my arms. "Nick, give her a break." I chided. Nick looked past us, and saw Carlos, Luke, and Tess talking.

"I'm sure they're talking about me right now. 'Luke, Tess, he's becoming a danger to the group!'" he said, mimicking Carlos's accent. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from smiling at Nick's imitation of him.

"So who was that guy?" he asked. "I swear, it looked like he was holding you guys up. I figured that he was with Carver."

"He seemed nice..."

"Damn..." Nick whispered. "If Alvin is in front of me, he takes that shot. What a f*cking mess... Maybe I am losing it... I don't know anymore." Nick sighed. "God, I'm hungry... What time is it, anyway?" he asked as he looked down at his wrist, but found nothing. "Damn. Damn it!"

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I left my watch back at the cabin. It was Pete's... he gave it to me..."

Clem then smiled. "I found it back at the cabin." she said as she reached into her bag. "Let me get it."

Nick's eyes widened. "What? Really...?" he asked as Clementine handed him the watch. Nick smiled. "Thank you. This means... thank you, Clem..."

I smiled myself. Good call, Clem.

Nick then stood up. "You know what? I'm gonna go talk to them." he told us as he stood up and walked towards Luke, Tess, and Carlos. Clem and I turned back to the station. We still gotta check...

Clem opened the door and we stepped inside. Hm, Alvin was right. The place looks too small for us to stay the night in...

I noticed Clementine head over to a bed near the fireplace. "I guess that man slept here..." she thought aloud. My eye wandered over to a radio. I pressed the power button, but nothing happened. I rolled my eye. Of course it's dead...

Clem wandered over to a trunk. Next to it were several cans. I knelt down and examined them.

"All empty..." I muttered.

"That man said he had lots of food. There's gotta be something left," Clem said. I grabbed the lid of the trunk and tried to open it. No luck.

"Damn it. Needs a key..."

"That man probably had it." Clem guessed as she walked over to a table and picked up a survival knife. She examined it and slashed the air with it. "Feels pretty good," she commented as she placed the knife back in it's sheath. She walked back over to the trunk, pulled the knife out, and slipped it behind the lock. A moment later, she pried it open.

"Wow. Nice job." I praised as we peeked inside. There were two cans of peaches, as well as a few books. Just then, Alvin stepped inside. "Man... and I thought WE had it bad. Look at this dump..." he muttered as he examined the place. He then noticed the can of peaches Clem held in her hand. "Guess he did have food. Man, f*ck Nick... He's lost a lot of his people, that's for sure, but that doesn't give him any excuse to go and shoot strangers."

"He was trying to help." Clem said. "Yeah, and someone died cause of that. I ain't no judge, but that's straight up murder in my book. I mean, you ever known anyone who would do a thing like that?" Alvin asked. "Actually, yeah... a woman in our group. Her dad died... and then... she just shot this other woman..." Clem explained.

I rose an eyebrow. She must be talking about the woman who shot this 'Carley'...

Alvin's eyes widened. "Damn. What did you guys do?" he asked. "We brought her with us, but she stole the RV and ran away..."

"Damn..." Alvin muttered. He then knelt down and pulled the other can of peaches out of the trunk. He looked at it, smiled, and showed it to us. "That's funny. She looks just like you." he said, referring to the girl on the can.

I looked at Clementine and held back a chuckle. She's not amused...

"Hey, Clem, there's not a lot of food left, and Rebecca... well, she eating for two. You think you can keep this just between the three of us? I'd hate to even say it, you know but- I'd never go against the group, but I gotta put Bec and the baby first..."

Clementine smiled slightly. "Rebecca can have it. I won't say anything."

"Thanks, Clementine." Alvin said before he turned to me. "You OK with this?"

"Yeah. She can have it. My lips are sealed." I said. He smiled before we looked out the window, seeing Luke, Carlos, Nick, and Tess talk about something. "It's a shame. Nick was a good guy. He's still a good guy, but he's just losing it... God knows we're not perfect... Hell, I'm glad you're with us, Clementine." he said, earning a smile from Clem. I noticed something by the bridge, and rose an eyebrow. "What the hell is that?" I asked as Alvin and Clem came up to my side.

Shit, lurkers are coming!

"Walkers!" Clementine said. We darted out of the station. "Guys, we got a problem!" I exclaimed as the rest walked up to us. "Yeah, we saw." Luke said with a nod. "Alright, we're heading up!" he announced before we started running away towards the large hill nearby.


	9. Old Friends

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan**

**Two special characters are making an appearance. My thanks to I heart Lyoko for letting me use them!**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

It's now dark, and we just reached the ski lodge.

Thank god! Man, my feet are KILLING me! I feel like I'm gonna collapse any second now!

Nick and Carlos are crouching down, looking for any signs of danger as Rebecca pants as she reaches the top of the hill.

"Well? What're we waiting for?" Rebecca asked, clearly exhausted.

Carlos looks back at us just as I reach her side. "We have to be careful." he reminded.

Rebecca gives him a look. "Careful? We've been on the road for five days. My back is done being careful."

I hunch over, placing my hands on my knees. "I'm with Rebecca on this one." I said. "My feet feel like they're gonna fall off at any second now..."

Alvin stepped onto the deck and examined the boarded up windows. "Doesn't look like anybody's home." he observed as the rest of us stepped onto the deck. Tess tried prying off a board, but failed. "Damn, this is _sturdy_!" she muttered. I stepped up to the window and tried to pull one off, but it wouldn't budge. Wow, she was right, whoever nailed these down did a pretty damn good job...

"I'll go check around front." said Alvin. "I'll go with you." Carlos said as he and Alvin headed towards the front.

I let out a weary groan as I sat down several feet away from Clem and Luke, who were observing the ski lift.

"... Could probably get a better view up top. You'd have an easier time getting up there. You feel like taking a look?" I heard Luke ask.

I look over my shoulder and stare at the ski lift. Man, that's high...

"It'd just be like climbing a treehouse."

"I had a treehouse once..." Clem said.

Well, this should be easy for her! She must have climbed it so many times that-

"I hated it."

"Oh."

Well, THAT killed the mood...

I sat there as Luke and Clem walked past me towards the lift.

A few more minutes pass by. I'm surprised, it's actually pretty peaceful for once...

"Don't you fucking move!"

... I take it back.

I look up, and I see a few people standing a few feet away from Tess... and one of them's holding a rifle!

"Hey! What the hell?!" I exclaimed as I jumped to my feet, attracting the attention of the rest of the group. Carlos and Alvin run around the corner and run up behind us as a man with a beard shoves Tess towards us.

"This our house! Get the hell out!"

"We've been walking for five days! Give us a fucking break!" Nick snapped as he aimed his rifle at beard-guy, who aimed his rifle right back.

"I don't know who you are, but we're not looking for a fight." Carlos told the man.

"Are you thieves?!" I hear a voice ask. It sounds a lot younger than beard-guy's, more like a teenager's...

"I swear, we're not here for that!" I exclaimed. Just then, Luke runs up to us, but hold on, where's Clementine?!

"What's going on here?!" he asked as he held his hands up in surrender.

"There's more of you?!" Beard-guy growls.

"Listen everyone, just stay calm!" Luke said calmly as he looked back and forth between Nick and the guy with a beard, who's aims haven't lowered.

"Who are you?! Are you trying to rob us?!" a woman with an Indian accent asks as she eyed us cautiously.

"Excuse me, honey, but do I look like a fucking thief?" Rebecca snapped.

Tess held up her hands in surrender. "Look, this his all just a misunderstanding!"

I glared at them. "We're not robbing anybody! God, how many times do I have to say it?!" I ask, frustrated from this.

"Everyone calm down!" a guy wearing a red sweater said.

You want US to calm down?! You were the ones who drew on us first!

"Hey, man, you calm the fuck down!" Alvin shot back.

"Sarah, get behind me!" Carlos ordered as he stepped in front of Sarah protectively. Tess took a step forward. "We thought this place was abandoned! We'll leave right now!" she tried to reason.

"Just tell us who you are!" Sweater-guy says. OK, now this is getting ridiculous!

"Not until you tell us who YOU are!" I shot back. I felt Tess gently place a hand on my shoulder. "Anne..." she gently warned.

"Why should we tell you that?!" I hear another younger voice that also sounds like a teenager's.

"Just put the gun down, man!" Alvin said.

"Fuck that!" Beard-guy snaps.

"You're in no position to make demands!" I hear the younger voice from earlier say.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa..." Luke said, trying to calm the guy with the beard; it's not having any effect.

"Guys, just settle down!" Tess said.

"Please... Just DO what he says!" the Indian woman pleaded.

"It'll save you a whole lot of trouble!" I hear one of the younger voices say.

Just then, I hear a gasp behind me. I look over my shoulder just in time to see Clem weave her way through the group and past me. She is looking straight at the man with the gun. The man notices her and he looks completely shocked.

"Kenny...?!"

WHAT THE?!

"Wait, you KNOW this guy?!" I asked, confused as to how Clem knows this man.

The man, Kenny, continued to look down at Clem in shock. "Clementine...?"

She suddenly leaped forward and hugged Kenny, who hugged her right back with a smile.

Tess smiled. "I'll take that as a yes."

Kenny smiles and places a hand on her shoulder before he looks back at us. "These people with you?"

She nods. I step up to them. "Would someone mind telling me what's going on?"

I then hear two more gasps as two people step up to us. They're both teenage boys, most likely my age. The guy on the right has short, messy brown hair. He is wearing a black leather jacket over a white T-shirt with blue jeans. He has a scar running over his right eyebrow to under his right eye.

The second one has dark brown hair that is styled in a messy buzz cut. He is wearing a black long sleeved shirt with blue jeans. On his right cheek, I can make out a scar. Both of these guys seem pretty surprised to see me, but I don't know why.

"Is that..."

"N-no... It can't be..."

I blink in confusion. "What are you talking about?!"

They take a close look at me. OK, now I'm starting to get a little freaked out...

"Anne?" asked the one with the leather jacket.

What...? How do they know my name...?!

"Am I supposed to know you?" I asked.

The one wearing the long sleeved shirt took a step closer to me. "Anne, come on... It's us, remember?" he asked me.

I looked at him and gasped. He has one blue eye and one hazel.

Those eyes... I've seen them before!

* * *

_I fall to the ground from another punch as I hear laughter. I then hear another voice, it sounds angry. _

_"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"_

_I clutch my cheek, which has a bruise forming on it. I don't look up, but I can hear blows being landed. I then hear the sound of running feet get fainter._

_"You okay?"_

_I slowly look up, and I see a hand being offered to me. I take it, and the person helps me up. _

_"T-thanks..."_

_They are both boys around my age. What stands out about them is their eyes. One of them has a green eye and a blue eye and the other has a hazel eye and a blue eye._

_"Who are you?"_

_"I'm..."_

* * *

"-D-Dylan?! Chase!" I exclaimed. Now I remember! It's them! The two who saved me that time!

I leapt forward and nearly tackled them both in a hug. They hug me back.

"What? You know these two, Anne?" Tess asked.

I let go of them and turned to the others with a slight smile. "Yeah. This is Chase and Dylan Enheart. I met them four years ago."

"Man, it's so good to see you again!" Dylan said as he hugged me again.

I smiled. After a moment, I cleared my throat. "Dylan, you can let go, now."

He chuckled nervously and pulled away from me. "Sorry. It's just... I can't believe it's you!"

Kenny stood up. "We can talk inside." he said. Carlos looked at Sarah before he asked, "You sure you don't mind?"

The guy with the red sweater nodded. "It's going to storm soon. Please come in." he said. Clementine and Kenny exchanged a smile as they walked ahead of Dylan, Chase, and I. I smile myself. Things are actually looking up for us...

* * *

Kenny, Clementine, Chase, Dylan, the guy with the sweater, and I step inside while the others are still behind.

Whoa... This place was huge! Seriously, there's a huge lobby, several tables, who-knows-how-many rooms, it has it ALL!

Damn, there's even a Christmas tree!

"Kenny, Sarita, Chase, and Dylan have been staying with us for several weeks. Used to be a ski lodge, obviously, so we have plenty of food," the guy with the sweater said as he climbed up the steps. "And believe it or not, we still get some power from that wind turbine outside. We tend to keep most of the lights off at night to avoid drawing attention. But after we found this stuff in storage, we couldn't resist making an exception."

Kenny turned around to us as the guy with the sweater talked. He made the 'blah-blah-blah' gesture while silently moving his mouth. I held back a laugh as Clementine quietly giggled.

The man wearing the sweater noticed and asked, "What's funny?"

Kenny smiled. "Oh nothing, Walt. Walter here is one smart son of a bitch. Makes a mean can of beans, too." he said as he slapped the man, Walter, on the shoulder. I hear the door open behind me and we turn around to see the others step inside. By the looks on their faces, I can tell they're just as impressed as I am right now.

"Please, make yourselves at home. You can leave your things over there." Walter said, gesturing to a bench over by the door. Rebecca frowned. "The hell we will." she said.

"Yeah, I'm holding onto my rifle..." Nick agreed.

"You're our guests here. There's no need to worry." Walter said gently.

"Tell him to put his gun down, then." said Nick. "Nick, please..." Tess said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Will you vouch for these people, Clem?" asked Kenny. "If you tell me they're good, then I'm good."

Clementine nodded. "They're cool."

Just then, the Indian woman, who must be Sarita, Carlos, and Sarah step inside. Sarah smiles when she sees the Christmas tree in the lobby. "Dad, look! A Christmas tree!" she said with a smile. "Not now, Sarah..." Carlos gently denied. Sarita smiled. "Isn't it great? We found it all in storage." she said.

Kenny and Sarita exchange a look. He was silent for a moment before he walked over to the bench and set his rifle down on it. Chase and Dylan exchange a look before they set down their guns and knives on the bench. I follow them and set down my gun and knife, as well as my guitar and bags. Soon, the others decide to put their weapons down on it too, as well as our bags.

Sarita smiled. "Good. If you'll all follow me, I'll show you where you can sleep." she said as she led Carlos, Tess, Nick, Rebecca, Luke, Sarah, and Alvin upstairs. Clementine followed Kenny over to the fireplace. They must have a lot of catching up to do...

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn to see Dylan smiling at me. "You... wanna talk?" he asked. I nodded. Chase, Dylan, and I walked over to a couple of chairs and we sit down in them. I sigh as I sink into the cushion. Man, I haven't sat in anything this comfy since we left the cabin!

"So... where have you been?" I asked.

"Well, a while after we met you, we had to... go overseas..." said Chase.

"Overseas?"

"It's a long story. Anyway, ever since we left, we were traveling around Europe, and we stayed in France for a few years. Before shit started happening, we took a plane to the US for a vacation. A few days later... well..." Dylan trailed off.

"We met Kenny and Sarita when we were looking for food. You should have seen that guy's beard back then." Chase said with a chuckle. "Anyway, after we saved their asses from walkers, they let us travel with them. We met Walter and Matthew several weeks ago and we've been staying here ever since."

"So... what about you? How've you been since the last time we've saw you?" asked Dylan.

"Well... I still dealt with shit like that..." I said. The memory of... that night popped into my head, but I quickly forced it out. Don't think about how you got that scar, Anne... "I got sick of it, and just a few days before the walkers showed up, I left my house... I survived on my own for a while... then I met Tess... Her father let me stay at their community. I am so glad they did, cause if they didn't, I'd be one of... THEM."

"Sounds like Tess is a nice girl." said Chase. "She is. She and Nick got together after a while, but..." I trailed off.

"But...?" asked Dylan. "They left several months ago. Just like that... I heard that Nick wanted to bring Tess with him, but he didn't get the chance to ask her..."

"So... why did you leave?" asked Dylan. I frowned. "Just a few months ago... Carver, Tess's father... he let his ex-wife get eaten alive, just so we could escape. He said that since she got scratched on the arm, she was a burden to the camp..."

"WHAT?! Why couldn't he just cut off the arm?!" Chase asked. "That's what I thought, but apparently, he didn't care..."

I clenched my fist. "Tess and I saw what kind of monster he was after that... so we left. We met up with Nick and the others a few days later, and we stayed at this cabin with them. One day, a guy with a bite came to the cabin asking for help, so we patched him up the best we could, but in the end... he turned. The guy killed Nick's mother just before we put him down... but... his mother turned, and he was forced to kill her..."

Chase's face softened. "Damn..." he whispered.

"Yeah... Tess comforted him the best she could..." I said. "Clementine's been with us for more than a week now."

"How did you meet her?" Dylan asked. "Luke and Pete found her in the woods one day with a nasty cut on her arm. We thought it was a lurker bite, but she said it was a dog bite. Turns out, she was right. We found out the hard way..." I said looking down, remembering that incident. "A day after that, Clementine, Nick, and Nick's uncle Pete headed down to a stream to check out some fish traps, but they didn't come back for a while. Turns out, they got ambushed by lurkers... and Pete died... Clem and Nick stayed in a shed for more than a day. Clem managed to escape and get back to the cabin. I stayed with her and Sarah as the others went out to find Nick. That's when..."

"When what?" asked Chase. "When Carver showed up," I muttered, clenching my fist. "He figured out that we were there very quick, so as soon as the others came back, we packed up our things and left as soon as possible. We managed to find Nick in the shed, and we've been traveling on the road for five days. We noticed the ski lodge, so we decided to check it out, and here we are..."

"Why is this 'Carver' person after you?" asked Chase. "Carver is the kind of guy that doesn't like to let things go... He's a monster. He is very dangerous... He will do anything to bring us back there, especially Tess and Rebecca..." I said.

"Shit..." Chase muttered.

A moment of silence passes.

"That's a, uh... cool bandanna you got there." Dylan said, referring to the bandanna I use to cover my right eye, along with my bangs. "Thanks." I said with a smile.

"Why are you wearing it?" he asked.

I looked down. "I... I'd rather not talk about it..."

Dylan nodded understandingly. He and Chase then stood up. "I'm gonna go see if your friends need anything." he said. I nodded as I watched them enter a room, where I saw Tess, Clementine, and the others head into when I was talking to them.

It's now quiet... Too quiet...

My eye wanders around the room and I see my guitar over by the bench. I smile before I get up, walk over to bench, and grab my guitar. I sit down on a couch and begin to play a tune.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

"Come on, guys, just calm down." I sigh.

"We can't stay here, it's too risky..." Rebecca said.

We are currently discussing whether or not we should stay here, and right now, we're not getting anywhere with this argument...

"Guys, we have been on the road for five freaking days." said Nick.

"But Carlos, what if Carver finds us?" asked Rebecca.

"He won't, Bec. We're safe." Alvin assured her. I stepped in. "Yeah! We'll be fine, Rebecca. It's a ski lodge, so why would he look here?" I ask with a shrug.

Rebecca gave me a look of disbelief before she relaxed and gave a small smile in return.

I smile back. Just then, my ears pick up the strumming of a guitar as Carlos, Alvin, and Bec begin to chat about the ski lodge. "Guys!" I whisper-shouted, shutting them up quickly. They gave me a questioning look as I put a finger to my lips, saying, "Shh!"

We're all silent for a moment, then we hear singing. All of us looked confused as we inched through the door to the lobby, where Anne was sitting on one of the couches, strumming her guitar and singing with her eyes closed.

_"All systems go_

_Sun hasn't died_

_Deep in my bones_

_Straight from inside_

_I'm waking uuuuuupppp..._

_I feel it in my bones _

_Enough to make my systems blow_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Whoa oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh_

_I'm... Radioactive_

_Radioactive!_

_Whoa oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh_

_I'm... Radioactive_

_Radioactive!"_

"Wow..." Clementine whispered.

'Wow' is right! I was impressed, as was the rest of us. Wow, who knew Anne could sing so well?!

I clapped first, applauding the girl for her skills. The second I started clapping, Nick, Luke, Chase, and Dylan clapped along with me, and then everyone else joined in.

Anne, not expecting this, spun around in shock. Her cheeks reddened, and she looked down, smiling flatteringly.

"That was amazing!" Dylan said as he stepped up to her. Anne, still blushing, smiled and scratched the back of her head. "Thanks..."

"Holy shit, I haven't heard anyone sing like that for a long time!" said Kenny.

"You have a pretty good singing voice, ya know..." Dylan complimented.

Anne blushed again. "T-thanks..."

I noticed this, and I only smirked. She looked up at me and rose an eyebrow.

"What?" she asked. I smile and walk away. "Oh, nothing..." I said. Hehe... and after all the times she teased me...

* * *

**Anne's POV**

That was weird... why was she smirking like that? Oh well...

"Everyone, dinner is served! Come and get it!" Walter called.

I perked up. Dinner?! Alright!

We all head over to the tables. I sat down next to Tess and Nick. Walter puts the peaches and beans in our bowls and we dig in.

Oh, I'm in heaven... I haven't had anything THIS good in forever!

"You OK, man?" Luke asked Nick. "Yeah... I just wish I hadn't pulled that trigger..." Nick muttered. Tess placed her hand on top of his to comfort him. "It's OK... just try to forget about it..." she said.

Clem walked up to the tables. Luke raised his arm to invite her over to us, but Kenny cut him off. "Right here, Clem!" he called as he waved her over to his table.

She looked back and forth, trying to decide who to sit with, us or Kenny...

Must be hard for her to decide... but hey, it's her choice... not mine...


	10. You Don't Know

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

* * *

**Tess's POV**

Clementine walked over to Kenny's table and sat with Kenny, Chase, Sarita, Dylan, and Walter.

I smiled behind her back. She gets to reunite with an old friend!

I see the slightly hurt look on Luke's face. With a sigh, I reach over to him and patted his hand. "Luke..." I said, staring pointedly at him. Luke turned around and looked into my eyes, giving me a look that made me squirm mentally.

"I wouldn't blame her..." Anne said as Luke, Nick, and I looked at her. "She JUST reunited with an old friend, after all. I would wanna sit at their table if I'd ever knew him."

I playfully scoff. "Gee, thanks..."

"Do you think we can trust him?" Luke asked. I raise an eyebrow. What's he getting at?

Anne nodded. "If Clem can trust him, then I can too."

I already knew I could trust Kenny. "I think he's an OK guy..." I said, eating more of my food.

After a moment of silence, Luke said, "Walter told me that his family died..."

I stopped eating. Kenny told me about it earlier...

Anne's eye widened in shock. "What...?" she asked.

I decided to speak up. "He lost his wife and son in the same day..." I said, ignoring the looks of shock from the group.

"That's horrible!" Sarah said. Luke nodded sadly. "A thing like that can hit a guy pretty hard..."

Anne closed her eye.

I looked at Nick, who had closed his eyes. He's probably thinking about Marie and Pete right now... I rubbed his shoulder to comfort him. I look over Luke's shoulder, and I see Kenny and Sarita talking to Clementine about... Something...

Anne leaned over to whisper to me. "Whaddya think they're talking about?"

I shrug in response. "I don't know... Let's go find out."

Nick, Luke, Anne, and I pick up our bowls and head over to Kenny's table just as Walter and Sarita move to sit at ours.

"Hey, Clem!" Anne greeted as we sit down. Nick and I sat together next to Clementine, Dylan, and Chase while Luke sat next to Kenny on his left and Anne sat on his right.

Kenny said, "Hey there."

"Hey," Luke replied.

"Hope you like the food."

Anne smiled at Kenny and said, "It's great!"

Kenny chuckled at her and said, "You must be Anne."

Anne nodded and ate her food.

"Peaches and beans!" Kenny announced. "Great for nutrition, not so great on the way out, I tell ya."

Nick, Clem, Anne, Luke, and I look at him in disgust as he laughed at his own joke.

Anne gagged and dropped her spoon. "Dude... I was EATING." she complained, pushing her bowl away from her.

"Sorry... sorry. So... It's Luke... and Nick. Luke and Nick. I gotta say, you two sure do look like a match!" said Kenny.

Luke and Nick stop eating to glare at the man. I choke on my own breath, trying not to laugh. Anne quietly snickers while Chase smirks and Dylan holds back a smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke asked, slightly offended.

"I'm just saying that you two look like good friends, that's all." Kenny replied. I snickered at the two's reaction before explaining to Kenny, grabbing Nick's hand with mine. "Hate to break it to ya, but Nick's actually my boyfriend."

Kenny's eyebrows shot up. "Oh! My bad..." he apologized.

"So." Luke began. "What's your plan here? Hold out till the winter?"

Kenny shook his head as he replied, "Actually, we were thinking about moving on up north. Ever heard of a place called Wellington?"

Clementine nodded. "Christa and I were going there." she said.

Anne rose an eyebrow and looked at her. "Isn't that the lady you were with?"

Clem didn't get a chance to answer as Kenny said, "Supposed to be a big camp near Michigan."

"Michigan?" Nick repeated.

"You got a hearing problem, kid? Yeah, Michigan! Think about it; fresh water, lots of land, and cold ass winters so the walkers get slow!"

"Sounds like bullshit." Nick said. I looked at him, placing a hand on his arm. "Nick..." I warned.

Anne spoke up, "Guys, look. Let's not fight. Let's just sit down and eat."

Then things settled down for a few moments before Kenny turned to her and noticed the bandana around Anne's eye. Shit!

"What's with the bandana?" he asked.

Anne stiffened, dropping her spoon again. "I don't wanna talk about it..." she muttered, looking away.

Kenny's face softened and he said, "Hey, it's okay, kid. You can just take it off and set it-"

Anne cut him off by shouting, "I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, OK?!"

The whole room went silent, their stares directed at Anne.

Anne clenched her fist and muttered an apology before she walked away from the table, grabbed her guitar, and went upstairs.

"...What was that about?" Chase asked.

"Is she okay?" asked Dylan.

I jumped up to go after her, but not before glaring at Kenny.

"Anne, wait!" I called, running after her.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

Once I was out of their sight, I ran through the hallway. I gritted my teeth.

Why?! Why couldn't he just ignore it?!

I ran into a room and slammed the door shut. I leaned against the door and clutched my head. The memory of that night appeared in my mind again...

No, Anne... just don't think about it...

My eye wandered over to my left arm and I subconciously placed a hand on it.

It's over... don't think about it...

I sat down on the bed and held my guitar in my lap. I stared at it for a moment, then I remembered a song from a show I used to watch.

Humming the tune, I pick up my guitar and began playing it.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I ran up the stairs, searching for my friend. I looked around in frustration, blowing my hair out of my face.

"Ugh! Where IS she?!" I asked myself.

I was about to give up and head back when I heard the strumming of Anne's guitar, followed by her singing voice. It came from a small room.

_"Cultivate your hunger before you idealize_

_Motivate your anger to make them all realize_

_Climbing the mountain, n__ever coming down_

_Break into the contents, n__ever falling down_

_My knee is still shaking like I was twelve_

_Sneaking out the classroom by the back door_

_A man railed at me twice, though_

_But I didn't care_

_Waiting is wasting for people like me_

_Don't try to live so wise_

_Don't cry cause you're so right_

_Don't dry with fakes or fears_

_Cause you will hate yourself in the end."_

I follow the sound of her voice. The further I walk down the hall, the louder Anne's voice gets. Her voice sounds sad, and slightly tearful... I never heard her like that...

I stop in front of a door and crack it open slightly. I see Anne sitting on a bed strumming her guitar with her eye closed. She has a sad, distant look on her face. I watch from the doorway as she sings the last verse.

_"Don't try... to live so wise..._

_Don't cry... cause you're so right..._

_Don't dry... with fakes or fears_

_Cause you will hate yourself in the end_

_Don't try to live so wise_

_Don't cry cause you're so right_

_Don't dry with fakes or fears_

_Cause you will hate yourself in the end_

_Cause you will hate yourself in the end_

_Cause you will hate yourself in the end_

_Cause you will hate yourself in the end..."_

I decided to speak up. "That's a... really sad song for a bright girl like you."

Anne didn't do anything when I spoke... no reaction.

After a moment, she looked up at me. "Hey Tess..."

"Hey..." I replied as I closed the door. I took a seat next to her on the bed she was sitting on, and all was quiet for a few moments.

Finally, Anne decided to speak again. "Sorry I blew up in Kenny's face..."

I shook my head. "No, Anne... it's not your fault..." I replied as Anne stood up and walked over to a desk.

"T-this bandana... it hides SO much..." Anne said as she sniffled.

What she did next made me jump slightly.

Anne roared and swept everything off of the desk onto the floor in anger. I sat still, silent. How much sadness was this girl bearing?

She sniffled again as she spun around and yelled at me.

"I've suffered SO MUCH! BECAUSE OF-" She ripped off her bandanna and shoved her bangs away from her eye, much to my surprise, showing me the blood red eye that she kept hidden for who knows how long... "THIS!"

She glared at me. "You... you have NO clue... absolutely NO CLUE what it was like for me... when I went to school... every day, these kids would... bully me! Whenever they got the chance, they'd pick on me! Beat me up, spit on me, call me names..."

I remained silent as Anne started to yell louder.

"Every. Single. Day, the kids would... I had to put up with them my entire life since Preschool! I even told my parents, I begged them to help me! But what did they do?! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Whatever they came up with, they were fucking stupid and weak! They didn't know these kids, I DID! Those pieces of shit were wrong in every way possbile!"

Anne stopped to punch the wall in anger.

"... I started to cover my eye with my bangs, hoping that it would all stop, but it didn't. It only made it worse. They started calling me 'Emo' and 'Cyclops'... A Cyclops, Tess! It got so out of hand one day... I had to go to the hospital because of those lunatics. They beat me up in public, to a bloody pulp! I would've died, but someone called the police, and they got arrested... and I was stuck on my ass in a hospital bed for two months... I was put in a coma... I didn't wake up for about five weeks... That's when I started wearing the bandanna..."

Anne then turned to me, tears in her eyes- Yes, BOTH of her eyes. She tearfully said, "Those people down there... They have NO IDEA what it was like for me! YOU! YOU don't know what it was like FOR ME! YOU-! Y-you..."

I knew she was reaching her peak, so I quickly jumped up and held her in my arms as she started to cry really hard.

"Sshhh..." I whispered, rubbing the girl's back soothingly as she hugged me back tightly. I rocked her back and forth as she sobbed into my chest, letting all of her emotions out; Rage, Hatred, Sadness, Frustration, Desperation...

"It's okay... Just let it out..."

Anne only sobbed harder into my chest.


	11. Old Wounds

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I do own Anne Marshall**

**Tess Carver belongs to Celebrityfan**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

* * *

**Tess's POV**

Anne clutched me tightly as I slowly rocked her back and forth.

Poor Anne... what kind of idiots would put her through so much pain?! How could someone hurt such a bright girl?

A few moments later, I pull away from her to look at her. I wiped away a few tears from her face.

"You good?" I asked.

"Y-yeah... I-I think so..." she sniffled.

"Anne, are you OK?"

A red-eyed (No pun intended) Anne and I turned around to see a worried Clementine and Dylan staring at us with confused and sad looks.

Anne looked at me before she tearfully walked over to them and knelt down to Clementine's level.

"Clem... you know why I wear this bandanna?" she asked slowly.

Clementine shook her head, confused. Dylan gave Anne a look of concern as she took a breath.

"Well... when I was younger... kids used to pick on me all the time... because of my eyes..."

"What happened?" Clementine asked.

Anne was silent for a moment before she whispered, "Because of my eye... I nearly died one day... I was stuck in the hospital for two months straight... I was beat up almost every day... enough said."

Dylan clenched his fist as he asked, "Didn't your parents do anything?!"

"..."

Anne suddenly yelled, "I TOLD THEM! I BEGGED THEM TO HELP ME! BUT GUESS WHAT THE FUCK THEY DID?! NOTHING!"

She looked down and whispered, "They... didn't do a single thing to help... They thought I was overreacting... They had no idea what kind of pain I was going through every day... "

Clementine suddenly hugged her, silencing her as she held her tightly. Anne broke down again, only this time silently as tears ran their way down her face. Dylan joined the hug. "I'm so sorry, Anne... I shouldn't have left..." he said.

I walked over to them and wrapped my arms around them, bringing us to our knees as Anne quietly sobbed.

A moment later, I looked up and saw that the others were standing at the end of the hallway, watching us with confused looks.

Anne pulled away from Clem, Dylan, and I, free of her tears, but red-eyed and pale.

"I need a minute." she said softly. She picked up her guitar and walked past the group and headed towards... somewhere else.

Sarah looked up at her father. "Dad... why was Anne crying? Is she OK?"

Carlos shook his head. "I don't know, sweetie..."

I stood up and walked towards Kenny, whom was looking guilty as hell.

"You. Me. Talk. NOW." I said as I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him down to the lobby before he could even object. Once we were down there, I let go of him and crossed my arms.

"This is about Anne, isn't it?" he asked.

I nodded. He looked down shamefully.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know... Does she... have a scar or is she blind in it or something?" he asked. I shook my head.

"No... it's none of those things... Anne was bullied almost her entire life because of her eyes..." I said. "They're different colors..."

Kenny blinked. "THAT'S it? She was picked on because of her eyes?"

"Yeah... apparently, the neighborhood kids didn't like that and labled her as a freak..." I closed my eyes, remembering the look of sadness in Anne's eyes. "They'd call her names, beat the poor girl up... That yelling you just heard... that was Anne... telling me the pain she experienced..."

I could see that Kenny had a look of sympathy as I continued to explain.

"Anne... she nearly DIED one day because of them..." I paused to take a breath.

"Damn... wait, didn't her parents do anything about it?!" Kenny asked.

I shook my head, clenching my fists as I did. "No... she told me that she begged them to help her, but they didn't do anything. They thought she was overreacting... whatever ideas they came up with were weak... If I ever see them, I'm gonna make them feel the pain..."

Those bastards just stood on the sidelines and LET their child get beat up!

I looked up at him. "Kenny... Anne yelled at you because you made her remember what pain she felt when she was younger..."

Kenny looked down. "No one deserves to go through that..." he said.

He ran his hands over his face, muttering "Damn... I feel so fucking bad now... I really shouldn't have asked her."

I looked down, shaking my head. "It's not your fault. But next time... just keep your questions to yourself." I said.

Kenny looked like he was deep in thought before he started to walk away, saying, "I'm gonna go apologize... it wasn't ANY of my fucking business."

I quickly shook my head, grabbing the man's arm. "NO! She needs her space..." I protested. "She-"

I trailed off as I heard the strumming of a guitar.

Anne...

_"I'm tired of being what you want me to be_

_Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface_

_Don't know what you're expecting of me_

_Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes_

_Every step that I take is another mistake to you."_

Kenny and I glanced at each other before we followed the sound of Anne's voice.

_"I've become so numb _

_I can't feel you there_

_I've become so tired_

_So much more aware_

_I'm becoming this_

_All I want to do_

_Is be more like me_

_And be less like you..."_

We eventually found her in a room strumming her guitar and singing tearfully. I covered my mouth, tearing up. Anne then stopped singing, covered her eye with one hand, and started to cry. I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

She just needed space...

I tugged on Kenny's arm, signaling that we had to leave. Though he was hesitant, Kenny walked with me back to the lobby.

Poor Anne...

My poor Anne...


	12. The Devil Himself

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver (formerly known as Celebrityfan)**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**A special character is making an appearance. My thanks to Emily Carver for letting me use her!**

**And thanks to OreoAnarchy for drawing Anne! You're awesome!**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I sat there on the bed, free of my tears, but now my eyes felt so dry...

God... I haven't cried that hard in... years...

I stood up, holding my guitar, and headed towards the door. I left the room and started walking down the hall and down the stairs.

When I reached the last step, I saw Dylan and Chase walk up to me.

"Hey guys..." I greeted.

"Hey..." said Dylan. "Are you... okay? You know... after earlier?"

"Sort of..." I muttered.

Dylan scratched the back of his head. "Look, I'm really sorry... Chase and I shouldn't have left... if we haven't, we could have-"

I cut him off. "It's not your fault, guys." I said. "Don't blame yourself for it..."

Dylan sighed and sat down. "We didn't want to leave, but... our parents found jobs in France, and they started packing immediatly..."

"We asked them over and over to just forget about the jobs." said Chase. "But they wouldn't listen and they took them. They took us straight to the airport as soon as everything was packed..."

I looked down. "So that explains why you weren't at the playground that day..."

I remember that day... I was running to the park, eager to meet up with Chase and Dylan. But when I got there... I couldn't find them anywhere...

The bullies resumed picking on me as soon as they saw that they were gone...

Dylan placed a hand on my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I am so sorry, Anne... we had no choice..." he said.

"Dylan, don't blame yourself, please." I said as I found myself staring into his hazel and blue eyes. "It wasn't your fault. Your parents made you leave."

Dylan smiled at me, and I smiled back. We stared at each other for a moment before Chase cleared his throat.

"OK, you two, enough with the goo-goo eyes." he joked. Dylan and I frown, blushing slightly at Chase's comment. Dylan slapped Chase upside the head. "Very funny, Chase." he deadpanned.

As the two begin to bicker, I can't help but smile and roll my eye. Typical... just like when we were kids...

My gaze then wandered over to the doors, and I saw Clementine and Nick standing outside. I rose an eyebrow. What're they doing out there?

Chase and Dylan must have noticed, because their eyes wandered over to the front doors.

"What the..." Chase muttered as the three of us walked up to the doors and stepped outside. Walter had his back towards us. "Hey Walter, are you okay?" Dylan asked. Walter didn't respond. I turned to Clementine.

"Clem, what happened?" I asked.

Clem was about to answer me, but was cut off by the sound of the wind turbine picking up speed. Damn, that thing's noisy...

Just then, Luke, Kenny, Tess, Sarita, and Carlos come running out.

"Walt, what's going on?" Kenny asked. Once again, the man remained silent. Kenny then looked up at the wind turbine. "This storm's got it spinnin' outta control. That sound's gonna draw walkers. We gotta shut it down now!" he exclaimed.

"Nick, help me carry the guns!" Carlos ordered as he and Nick rushed inside.

A moment later, they came rushing out carrying guns. Nick handed a Glock 17 to Clem, Tess, and I. Chase took a Colt M1911 from Carlos.

"That thing's a damn dinner bell!" Kenny growled as he grabbed a rifle and rushed towards the wind turbine. We quickly followed after him.

Suddenly, there was a large boom in the distance. "What the hell was that?" Dylan asked. I turned back to the ski lodge and noticed that the lights went out.

"Dammit! Transformer must have gone!" Kenny said. "Gotta check it. I could use a hand."

"I'll go with you." said Luke. "I'm going with you." Sarita said as she stepped up.

Kenny shook his head. "No. It's too dangerous. Rest of you, get this thing shut down!" he ordered before he and Luke ran off. Sarita opened the door and we all gathered around the panel, but we could barely see a thing.

"Does anyone know how to do this?" asked Carlos. Sarita merely shrugged.

"Nope. Sorry." Dylan said with a shrug as well.

I sighed. "Great..."

"I can do it." Clem spoke up. "Okay, we'll watch your back." I said with a nod.

"Nick, Chase, scan the trees with me." Carlos said as he, Nick, and Chase stepped away to observe the trees. Clementine stepped up to the turbine and pulled out a lighter and used it as a light, illuminating the panel. She took a key off a hook and placed the key in a red button and pushed it forward.

We then looked up and saw that the turbine had slowed down, and eventually, stopped completely. I grinned.

"Nice one, Clem!" I praised. My grin fell as we observed the area around us.

"Somethin' ain't right..." Nick said softly.

"Yeah..." Tess agreed.

My ears picked up snarls. I whirled around to see lurkers, or 'walkers' as Clem and Kenny call them, staggering out of the bushes not fifty feet away from us.

Aw crap...

I gripped my gun tightly as I held it out in front of me.

"We don't have much ammo on us..." Tess pointed out.

"We gotta get back to the lodge." Nick said. Dylan turned around and gasped. "They're behind us!" he exclaimed as he pulled out a gun. Nick, Tess, Dylan, Carlos, Sarita, Chase, and I begin shooting at the walkers coming near us.

I shot one walker in the head before shooting the next one, hitting it straight in the forehead as dark blood spurted out of the bullet hole. I heard Clementine gasp as she quickly shot a walker in the head before ducking behind a rock.

"ANNE, LOOK OUT!" I heard Tess yell. I turned around and gasped. A walker no less than six feet away was coming towards me! A gunshot rang out and the walker collapsed. Tess had shot it. Oh God, that was close!

I smiled gratefully at her and she smiled back. I then turned on my heel and we split up. We started running towards the lodge, but I screeched to a halt when I saw Clem hiding behind a boulder shooting at walkers. She managed to get a few, but I heard the gun click. Shit, she ran out of ammo!

I aimed my gun at one of the two walkers surrouding her and shot one in the head. Carlos took out the other one.

"RUN, CLEM!" I yelled. A walker nearly got Carlos, but he threw it off him, shooting it in the head.

"Keep moving! Get to the lodge!" he exclaimed as we made a run for it.

Adrenaline pumped through my legs as I dashed to the lodge. I turned around and shot at a few walkers, backing away in the process. Suddenly, I hear a 'click'. Oh no...

I'M OUT!

I backed away as a walker stumbled towards me. I reached for my hunting knife, but felt nothing. Shit, it's still inside!

I tripped and fell on my back. I quickly sat up and started scooting away from the walker, but it kept getting closer.

SHITSHITSHIT!

It snarled, baring its teeth as it reached towards me, ready to sink its teeth into my flesh.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out through the air. The walker ceased moving and collapsed at my feet. I scooted further away from it, gasping for breath.

I looked up to see a figure wearing a black denim jacket with a light gray shirt and black converse and navy blue jeans. On her hands were red and black gloves.

"You okay?" the figure asked me. The voice sounded female.

"W-Who are you?" I asked, panting slightly. The red and black haired woman smirked and placed a hand on her hip.

"I'm Emily... the one who just saved your life. Now get moving!" she said as she helped me up. I started running towards the lodge without hesitation. The woman, Emily, follows me. The two of us reach Clementine, who is standing with the others. Clemetine gasps as she sees Emily.

"Emily?!" she asked. Wait, she knows this lady?!

Emily smiled. "Hey Clem." she said as she and Clem shared a quick hug.

"Clem, you know her?!" I asked.

Just then, Tess turned to Emilly and gasped when she saw her.

"E-Emily...?!" Tess gasped as a tear streamed down her face.

"Tess..." Emily said simply before she rushed forward and hugged her tightly. Emily hugged her back with a smile.

Despite the current situation, I stood there with my jaw dropped. Tess and Clementine know this lady?! Would someone mind telling me what's going on?!

Tess and Emily broke the hug. "Tess, how do you know this lady?!" I asked.

"She's my-"

She was cut off when Carlos suddenly exclaimed "CLEM, GET INSIDE!"

I looked to my right and saw walkers stumbling towards us. Emily and Clem darted inside as Carlos and Walter fired at a walker. Chase, Dylan, and Tess joined in.

Suddenly, I hear rapid fire and the walkers collapse one by one.

What the...

We turn to the forest and see a man with a brown coat walking out of it...

Carver...

No... he's found us! DAMN IT!

There's three people following him carrying AK-47s. Carver has the stupid smirk he always has as he walks up to us. Tess has a look of utter fury as he approaches us.

"Howdy, folks." he greets casually. His men then surround us, holding us at gunpoint. I recognized two of them as Troy and Johnny, two guards from the community. One of them looked familiar... red hair... brown vest... wait...

"BONNIE?!" Tess and I exclaimed simultaneously.

How could she?!

Bonnie gave us a look of sadness before looking away. Carver stepped up to Carlos, still having that smirk.

"Where's Rebecca?" he asked calmly. Carlos responded by spitting in his face. Ha, nice one...

Carver wiped away the spit away. "It's nice to see you, too." he said sarcastically before punching him in the face.

"CARLOS!" Tess gasped as Carlos staggered from the blow. Suddenly, Sarah came rushing outside. She darted past Carver and hugged Carlos tightly. "Sarah, get behind us." I said, glaring at Carver. Sarah hid behind Carlos as Carver pointed at the lodge.

"Inside." he ordered. Carver's other two henchmen pointed their assault rifles at us, forcing us towards and into the lodge. Bonnie gave an impressed whistle as she glanced around.

"Look at this place..."

I was then forced down on my knees and was placed between Tess and Dylan as our wrists were bound behind our backs.

"Johnny, cover that window." Bonnie told Johnny as he walked over to the window near the fireplace. I glanced around, seeing the others being forced to their knees. But hold on... where's Clementine?

I turned to Tess. "Where's Clementine?" I whispered.

"I don't know." she whispered back.

Carver then walked up to us. Tess and I both quieted down and glared at him intensely. He bent down and caressed Tess's cheek.

"I've finally found you, sweetie. Now we can finally-" Carver began, but was cut off by Tess trying to bite his finger. He jerked it away quickly.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH ME!" she screamed. He ignored her and turned to me with that same stupid smirk, placing his hands on his hips.

"Well, if it isn't the little music girl..."

I let an animal-like growl escape my lips. "Go to hell, you fucking bastard..." I snarled.

Tess's eyes widened as she silently told me to 'shut up', but I ignored her.

Carver stepped away from us and looked around the lodge for a moment before he picked Carlos up and punched him in the stomach.

"DAD!" Sarah exclaimed as her father fell to the ground. Carver stared down at him. "Listen, I'm only gonna ask you once. Where's Rebecca?" Carver asked.

Carlos, groaning, got up to his knees and looked at Sarah. "Sarah, look at me." he said gently. Sarah, though slightly panicked, did. "It's gonna be okay."

Right after he said that, Carver took his hand and bent one of his fingers back, breaking it. I couldn't help but cringe at the sound.

Carlos let out a groan of pain as Carver threw his hand down. Carlos cradled it as Carver glanced around the lodge.

"Rebecca! Rebecca, our baby deserves to be raised in a place of safety! I know you're out there. And Alvin. And Luke. And the girl. This is real simple. You want this over quick, you all play nice and show your faces."

"Don't hurt my dad! Please!" Sarah cried.

Carver then broke another one of Carlos's fingers, making him scream in pain.

"DAD!" Sarah screamed.

"Sarah, don't look! J-Just don't look!" I told her, trying to calm her down.

"Fuck you." Carlos growled at Carver. "Shoot him! Somebody just shoot him!"

Carver grabbed him by the hair and held a knife to his throat.

"NO! FUCK YOU, DAD! STOP!" Tess screamed with fury.

"Say goodbye, Carlos." Carver said with a smirk. He then looked up. "You never did listen. Let's see if I can get your attention..."

Carver then started to punch Carlos repeatedly. I gritted my teeth as Tess growled.

"BILL, STOP!"

I looked up and saw that Rebecca had come out of her hiding spot. Carver smiled and threw Carlos to the ground. "Ah, there you are..."

As she and Alvin walked down the stairs, Carver carressed Rebecca's cheek. I wanted to gag at the sight. That sick piece of...

"You alright?"

"Fuck you, Bill!" Rebecca spat out as Alvin was forced to his knees.

"Anne..." Dylan whispered. I turned to him. "Yeah?" I asked.

"Can you reach my hands?"

I looked at his bound wrists. "I'll try..." I said as I tried to reach for them. However, Troy turned around at that moment, so I pulled my hands back.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out and Johnny fell to the ground with a bullet hole in his head.

"Kenny!" Sarita gasped.

Carver frowned before marching over to Walter and picking him up. He brought him up to the window and shoved him to the ground before shooting him in the head execution style.

I gasped. "NO! WALTER! GOD DAMN IT! NO!"

Chase growled. "YOU SON OF A BITCH, I'LL KILL YOU!" he roared.

Carver hid behind a pillar as he held his pistol. "That's for our man! Now I didn't wanna do this, but you're leavin' me no choice! So here's what's gonna happen; I'm gonna march another one of your friends out here and I'm gonna put a bullet in the back of their head. Or you can give up now. Your choice." he said. Kenny responded by firing at him, but hit the pillar. He then picked up Alvin and smirked. "Hi, Alvin."

"Bill, no!" Rebecca exclaimed as she rushed forward, but was stopped by Troy pointing his assault rifle at her. "Tell them to stop! Kenny, stop!"

"Remember George?" asked Carver as he held the pistol to his head while marching him over to the window. "You see, I do. I remember a guy that was your friend named George. I remember when you murdered him in cold blood. And why? Because you didn't like me? You could have lodged a complaint. You could have been civil."

"BILL, NO! W-We'll do whatever you want! Just don't hurt him!" Rebecca pleaded. Alvin looked at his wife. "I love you, Bec..." he said, closing his eyes.

Oh no... not Alvin! NO WAY! NOT HIM!

I jumped up and rushed towards them. Carver saw and hit me in the chest with the pistol, knocking the wind out of me.

I coughed, falling to my knees. "F-Fuck..." I groaned out as I coughed and wheezed. Carver threw Alvin down and picked me up. Oh shit…

"Not a smart move, Anne..." he chuckled as he carried me over to the window and held the gun to my temple.

"NO! NOT HER!" I heard Tess scream.

"PUT HER DOWN, YOU FUCKER!" Dylan roared angrily.

I shut my eye tightly as I prepared for the bullet...

But it never came. I opened my eye, seeing Kenny, Clem, and Emily at the doors holding their hands up in surrender.

Carver smirked and threw me down. I sighed in relief, but it was short-lived as Troy harshly picked me up and led me back to my spot between Tess and Dylan, shoving me back down to my knees.

"Anne, are you okay?!" Tess asked me.

I panted slightly. "That... was WAY too close..."

As I looked up, I saw Emily hug- that's right, HUG Carver. And guess what? He hugged her right back!

"Hi Daddy..." she sniffled.

DADDY?!

"What the fuck?!" I exclaimed as I turned to Tess. "You have a sister?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I-I'm sorry, I-" Emily began, but Carver cut her off. "You're forgiven, sweetie..." he said.

"Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?!" I demanded as Kenny and Clementine were being tied up. Carver turned to us. "Emily here is my other daughter." he explained. "Where's Luke?"

I blinked. He's right... where IS Luke? Why isn't he here?

"Finally cut and run, huh? Why am I not surprised?" Carver asked before looking down at Carlos. "I warned ya not to follow him, and look where he's led you."

He then turned to Rebecca. "But you're safe now. We're going home. As a family."

Rebecca glared at him hatefully at these words.

THIS is his idea of a family?!

"Alright, round 'em up. We're heading back to camp."

One by one, they started picking us up and led us outside. They led us down the hill, where I could see a large truck at the bottom of it. We were led to the back. Troy opened the door and pointed his assault rifle at us with a menacing look.

Reluctantly, we climbed inside. I looked over my shoulder, seeing Carver smiling at his victory.

"We're on our way."

Then the door closes, leaving us in pitch black darkness.


	13. Welcome 'Home'

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

We all sat in silence as the truck drove down the trail. It hit a bump on the road every once in a while, making us bounce slightly.

By now, my eye has adjusted to the darkness. I can see that Emily is sitting next to Kenny with a guilty look on her face. I can also see that her wrists weren't bound, unlike the rest of us.

I turned to Tess and glared slightly. Why did she keep something like this from me?!

"Tess... why didn't you tell me you had a sister?!"

She didn't answer me. I frowned.

"Tess, I'm your friend. You can tell me..."

She was silent before she said, "I didn't tell you I had a sister because I thought she was dead."

I blinked. Oh.

I looked away from Tess, not sure if I should face her. "Sorry..."

It was dead silent for a while until the vehicle suddenly jerked to a halt. A few moments later, the door opened up. Light quickly filled the back of the truck, blinding me momentarily.

I squint at the bright light, and I see Carver looking at us.

"Those who gotta piss better go and do it now. Emily, you're gonna ride in the front with us." Carver said. I see Emily cast a sad glance towards us before she, Clem, Sarah, and I step out. I glared at Troy as Sarah headed into the woods.

"Hey, you mind givin' us girls some privacy?" I asked, glaring at him. He glared right back at me and used his rifle to shove me towards the woods. "Just get going. We ain't got all day, girlies." he replied. I frowned. Talk about rude!

I stood next to Clem, who was looking at a tree. I could see that she was staring at a butterfly. I remained silent as I watched her. Man, I haven't seen anything like that in a while...

Clem reached out to touch it, but it flew away. I decided to speak up. "So, you don't have to go?"

She shook her head. "No. You?"

I smirked slightly. "No. I was getting tired of sitting in there."

She smiled slightly. I turned around and noticed Emily walking towards us. I frowned and crossed my arms as she approached the two of us. "So, how do you know this girl, Clem?"

Clem turned to me before speaking. "Around four months ago... Christa, Emily, and I were attacked by walkers. She got separated from us. We haven't found her since... until now."

I kept my gaze on Emily. "So... why aren't YOU tied up?"

Emily looked away before she spoke. "Dad says that I'm to receive no punishment... that I'm just an innocent civilian that just arrived... he's not gonna punish me... I really want to help you guys. I don't want you or my sister's friends to suffer..."

Just then, Sarah stepped out of the woods. "Thanks for coming with me." she thanked as she turned back to the woods. "It's scary out here."

I smiled lightly as she continued to speak. "I know they made you come with me but... I actually thought they were gonna make Dad come with me. That would've been super awkward." she finished. I can't help but chuckle. Definitely...

Clem smiled at her and said "Yeah. We're friends. Friends always stick together."

Aw...

Then of course, Troy just HAS to ruin the moment.

"You about done over there?!"

I frown as we glance towards him. Emily decided to reply. "Yeah. Now get back to your job."

I snicker at her response, as well as Clem and Sarah. The four of us head towards the truck.

"Everything come out alright, girls?" Troy asked us.

We glared at him. Oh, he did NOT just ask that...

Emily stomped on Troy's foot. "Pervert." she mumbled. Bonnie and Troy then started tying our wrists back up, except for Emily. Carver then pulled out a radio and pushed a button.

"Well, we're on our way, probably thirty minutes out. Make sure everyone's prepped. Emotions might be running high. Carver out." he said as Troy roughly grabbed my wrists and started binding them. "Oh, and if I find out you've been wasting fuel to keep that fuckin' heater going, I'll make you walk back." Carver added.

"Nope. Froze my ass off... just like you told me too." Troy said.

Carver then noticed Clementine staring at him. He frowned. "It ain't polite to listen to other folks' conversations. Has anyone ever taught you that?"

"I used to have a walkie talkie like that..." Clem brought up.

"Oh, really? What happened to it? Cause you can't have this one."

"It got people I knew hurt..." Clem said. Carver smirked. "Well, if you do what we say, no one will get hurt." he said.

I sneered. Fuck you, Carver...

"Get the girls in back with the rest of them. We've got a bit of a drive ahead of us." Carver said before turning to Emily. "Emily, you're riding up front with us."

Carver led Emily up front with him as Troy opened the door and pointed a gun at us.

"In."

Reluctantly, we climb back inside with the others.

"Are you guys okay?" Sarita asked as we took our seats. I sat in between Tess and Dylan as Clem sat next to Carlos and Sarah.

Kenny noticed the sad expression Clementine had. "The hell did he do to you?" he asked with concern. "Hey! Did he hurt you?!"

He turned to Troy. "Hey! HEY!"

Troy slammed the door shut, leaving us in darkness once again.

* * *

My eye has re-adjusted to the darkness as the truck started moving again. We all remained silent as we exchanged glances every once in a while. Tess was looking down at her feet, probably thinking about what happened back at the lodge.

Finally, Kenny decided to speak. "Alright, we gotta something. Anyone got anything sharp? Anything?"

We remained silent. Kenny turned to me. "What about you? You have a knife, right?"

"Yeah, but I don't have it right now." I explained. "They took our weapons, remember?"

"We need to get these bindings off! Hey! Clem, help me find something to get these off. Anything sharp that could cut these..." Kenny requested.

"And what good is that gonna do?" Rebecca asked.

Kenny's gaze snapped towards her. "What the hell is wrong with you people? We gotta get outta here!"

"Like what?" Clem asked.

Kenny frowned. "What do you mean, like what? Something sharp. Anything that can help! A fuckin'- I don't know. Anything!" he said. "We're in a fuckin' precarious position here! We gotta do something about it!"

"Settle down, Kenny. They took everything. We have to keep a level head." Carlos said calmly.

"He's right. You don't know Bill like we do." Rebecca agreed.

"Bill? This whole time it's Carver, Carver, Carver, now he's fucking Bill?" Kenny asked. Rebecca closed her eyes.

"Oh, I see what this is. Y'all are just getting a ride home, aren't ya? That's what this is." Kenny snapped.

I growled. That place is not our home! It never was, and it never will be!

"Say that again." Nick growled.

"I'd stay out of this, boy." Kenny warned.

Nick frowned. "Mister, I ain't a boy!" he retorted.

Kenny rolled his eyes. "Oh right... YOU'RE a man."

Tess looked up. "Both of you knock it off! Arguing isn't gonna help any!" she snapped.

"You don't understand. He's different... he's worse." Rebecca said.

"The fuck are you talkin' about?" Kenny asked.

"He wants to punish us."

Clementine chimed in. "What d'you mean worse?"

Kenny nodded. "He's a fucking psychopath now!" he agreed. Carlos glared at him. "You have NO IDEA what you're dealing with!" he snapped.

"Oh, he gave us a pretty good idea back at the lodge!" Chase spoke up. "I don't intend to just sit around and let that happen to the rest of us!" Kenny agreed. "I'm tryin' to help!"

"I'm sure Walter really appreciated your help!" Carlos retorted. Kenny looked down sadly at the mention of his dead friend's name. I shot a glare at Carlos. Kenny was trying to help us! It wasn't his fault!

"That's not fair! You're blaming him for the actions of a madman!" Sarita defended. I frowned and jumped up to my feet, surprising a few of them. "Kenny was trying to help! You can't blame him for that!" I snapped.

"I'm only pointing out, that regardless of intent, there are consequences to rash actions. Something that he seems to be misreading as capitulation." Carlos pointed out.

I rose an eyebrow. I have NO clue what the hell he just said...

"I dunno what the fuck you're saying, but I know it's bullshit! We have to do something!" Kenny insisted.

"Kenny..." Sarita said.

"You can't reason with him." Rebecca sighed.

Suddenly, the truck jerked again, causing me to lose my balance.

I fell... and landed right in Dylan's lap!

Dylan's eyes widened, as well as mine. We blushed deeply as we stared at each other. I could see some of the group staring at us with surprised looks. Tess was biting her lip, trying not to grin, and Chase was smirking.

I blinked before I quickly got out of his lap and sat down, acting like nothing happened.

Well... THAT was awkward...

Kenny's eyes wandered over to something. "Oh shit. Jackpot!" he exclaimed.

I looked to my right and saw that he was looking at a sharp, jagged part of a broken pipe next to Clem. He stood up, walked over to it, and started using it to cut through the bindings.

"Sit down! You're going to get us all killed!" Carlos warned, but Kenny ignored him. "Y'all don't know what you're talking about. We get cooped up in some kennel like a bunch of dogs, it's over."

"You don't know that." Rebecca said.

"Oh yeah?" Kenny asked. "Well, I've been in this situation before. You ever been a prisoner?"

"We've all been prisoners! Why do you think we've left?" Carlos asked.

"Everyone stop fighting! This isn't gonna get us anywhere!" Clem piped up.

I nodded. "Clem's right, guys."

"Hold on, why is Emily with Carver right now?" Chase asked. "Doesn't she know what kind of guy he is?!"

Tess frowned. "She... doesn't know... she doesn't know that Mom is dead... and he is the reason she died... knowing him, he's probably lying about it right now, saying an accident happened..."

I let a growl escape my lips. "That manipulative son of a bitch..."

Kenny then cut the ropes off. He smiled. "Alright, now we're talkin'!"

He stood up. Carlos frowned and said "Carver will be on the other side of that door with ten people."

Sarah started whimpering. "There, there, baby... it's okay. Everything's gonna be fine." Rebecca soothingly said.

"It'll be okay, don't worry." I told Sarah.

Carlos then sighed. "At this point, maybe Luke is the only hope we have left."

"If he was gonna do something, he would have done it by now." Kenny argued.

"Who knows what he's dealing with. Anything can happen out there." Rebecca pointed out.

"I'll tell you what happened: he abandoned us."

My eye widened. WHAT?! There's no way Luke would do something like that!

"You don't know that!" Nick snapped. "I know he ain't here." Kenny shot back.

"Luke is not that type of guy!" Tess defended.

"That guy is a flake. I could tell the second I set eyes on him." Kenny growled.

"Kenny, please calm down. Please..." Sarita gently told him.

"Luke would never abandon us!" I exclaimed.

"Luke will help us." Clem said as she looked up at Kenny. The bearded man frowned. "Oh yeah? When? After that crazy fuck's killed us all?!"

Clementine looked slightly surprised. Kenny had an apologetic look. "Hey look, Clem..." he gently began, but was cut off when the truck suddenly jerked. I looked up at the ceiling.

"We're getting close." I said.

"Okay, let's do this."

Tess sighed. "Kenny, they have guns! What exactly are you gonna do?" she asked.

"I'm gonna punch the first sonuvabitch I see. Then I'm gonna take his gun and use it to shoot the NEXT sonuvabitch I see." he stated.

I inwardly scoffed. Some plan THAT is...

"Just sit down!" Carlos sighed.

"Shut up, Doc! This ain't your call!" Kenny snapped. He then looked down at Clem. "Hey, if something happens... just help out, okay? Don't, you know, get yourself hurt or nothin', but any help would be good." He paused for a moment before he gently said "Hey, Clem. Look at me. You trust me, right?"

Clementine nodded. "I trust you."

"Good. It's OK to be scared, but don't worry." he assured her. He then turned around and faced the door as I heard the truck start backing up. "Alright. Everyone re-?"

He's suddenly cut off when the truck jerks to a halt, causing him to slam into the door facefirst before falling down on his back. Ouch...

I cringe as he lands on his back. "Ooh... Timber..." I say halfheartedly.

"KENNY!" Sarita exclaimed as she rushed to his side. "Kenny, are you OK?"

"Is he okay?" Rebecca asked.

"I think so..." Sarita said. "Oh... what hit me?" Kenny groaned. Carlos looked away. "It's probably for the best." he muttered.

I hear Troy grumbling outside. "Goddamn breaks ain't working for shit!" he growled as he opened up the door, blinding us with the sudden light. I squint, seeing him, Bonnie, and another guard, Tavia, standing there holding assault rifles.

"Alright, up and at 'em." Tavia ordered.

With a sigh, I stand up and we climb out of the truck. Troy sees Kenny's unbound wrists and frowns. "The fuck?! How'd you you get your restraints off?! C'mere."

We're led away from the truck. I then hear Carver's voice come on the PA system as he starts to make a speech.

_"We've got some familiar faces back with us tonight. Now, I understand some of you are confused as to why we'd bring these people back when they left us as they did." _

Tavia scoffed. "I think I've got an idea."

I glared at Tavia for her snide remark.

I look around. Hold on, where's Emily?! She's nowhere in sight... where the hell is she?!

_"Now it might not come all out at once... but time will heal these wounds... so be patient with them until it does... and take solace in knowing that they're here to help us make our home a better place."_

We enter a hall with shelves filled with food. They're some guards standing on top of them glaring down at us.

Nothing's changed since Tess and I left... nothing's changed at all...

I look up, seeing Carver's office. I see him at the microphone looking down at us as he speak. Tess glares at him with pure anger.

_"All these feelings you have of anger... betrayal... hate... they're all valid. No one needs to forget what they did... but we do have to find it in our hearts to forgive them."_

Clem's eyes wander over to the shelves stocked with food. "Look at how much food they have..."

"Oh, I hope you're not saying what I think you're saying..." Kenny muttered.

_"As many of you already know, a large herd of lurkers gathers just south of us..."_

"Come on, we need you for something." Troy said to Carlos. "Can't it wait until morning?" Carlos requested. "We're all exhausted."

"Just come the fuck on." Troy ordered. Reluctantly, Carlos followed him. Sarah's eyes widened. "I need him. I need my dad." she said as she stopped walking. Clem and I paused too. "I-I can't... he's... he looks after me."

Troy walks up to us and forces us to keep moving.

"He'll be back." Clem reassured her.

"When?" Sarah questioned.

"I don't know, but he will come back, Sarah." I agreed.

"Thanks, guys..." she said gratefully.

I look away from her and see that we've arrived at the outer part of Howe's Hardware Store, or 'The Yard' as we call it. Basically, anyone who is untrustworthy and needs to earn the camp's trust back is placed out here and they have to work their butts off until they gain the camp's trust. Trust me, it sucks.

_"... And with the added manpower joining us this evening, I have no doubt that we will continue to..."_

Bonnie kneels down and unlocks the door leading to the yard. "Make sure y'all stay away from the fence. Bill can see if you're messing around with it." Bonnie told us gently. I could see her cast a quick sad glance towards Tess and I before looking away.

_"... it's no longer just to survive... it is our obligation to make this community a beacon of hope..."_

Ugh, he just makes me wanna gag right here and now...

Bonnie then opens the door up. We all step through it and out into the yard.

_"To provide a light... a bright light. Bright enough to shine in all this darkness. So that is what we'll do."_

Troy, Tavia, and Bonnie start taking our restraints off.

"Y'all best get some rest, cause there ain't gonna be much for you tomorrow. You're gonna be working hard." Troy says with a smirk.

I'm sorely tempted to punch him in the face...

"That's for you two..." Bonnie says to Tess and Rebecca as she points over to a couple of matresses.

"Yeah, it would be. Fuckin' Bill. Keeps me out in the cold, but at least I'll be comfortable." Rebecca said sarcastically as she crossed her arms.

"Still thinks I'm his little girl..." Tess spat out.

I then hear a cheerful voice. "Hey, guys."

I look away from the door and gasp. A man with one arm wearing a white fishing vest over a blue shirt was smiling at us. My eye widened. It's...

"REGGIE?!" Tess, Rebecca, and I exclaimed. The three of us hugged him.

"I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry... What did they do to you?" Rebecca asked as we pulled away.

"This could have been worse, trust me. I'm lucky to be alive." Reggie said. He then turned to me with a smile.

"How's it going, Raggedy Anne?" he asked me. I cross my arms at the nickname, but smile anyway. "How many times have I told you not to call me that?"

"Too many to count." he chuckled as he patted my head. I chuckled too. Man, I missed this guy!

"It's my fault..." Nick muttered, referring to Reggie's arm.

"No, it's really not. I would tell you if this was. This happened well after you guys left." Reggie said.

Tess nodded. "He got bit on the arm, but they chopped it off." she explained.

I remember that Reggie helped Carlos and the others escaped. I heard that he was going to leave with them, but fell down... he was put out in the yard after that.

"... They got me working outside. Lurker snuck up on me when I was hammering something. Luckily, they took the arm off quick. Saved my life." Reggie explained.

"That's awful... I'm so sorry..." Rebecca said.

"Look, it was my choice to help you guys." Reggie said.

Just then, Tavia stepped through the door. "Alvin, Carver wants you in his office."

"What? Why?" Alvin inquired. Tavia frowned. "Don't make this difficult. It's too late for that."

"No, please-"

"It's OK, Bec." Alvin told Rebecca as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Just get some rest. If he wanted to do somethin' to me, he'd had done it already. I'll be fine."

And with that said, he turns around. "Let's see what he wants."

Just before he and Tavia leave, Tess asked "Wait! Where's Emily?!"

"She's with Bill right now." Tavia said simply before she left with Alvin in tow. Troy then stepped up to Reggie. "Hey! Reggie!" he said.

"Oh... hey, Troy." Reggie greeted.

"Don't go fucking up now. Bill's real close to letting you outta here. You make sure things stay nice and quiet out here, and I'll be sure to let Bill know just how helpful you were."

Reggie nodded. "Yeah, you can count on me. Thanks, Troy."

"Don't mention it." Troy replied with a frown as he and Bonnie left and pulled the door closed. We're all silent as we turn back to Reggie.

"Oh, right. Let me introduce you. We were with them when we got caught." Rebecca said.

Reggie smiled and stepped forward. "Hey, I'm Reggie."

"That's Sarita..."

Sarita smiled. "Hello."

"And that's Kenny..."

Kenny uncrossed his arms. "Heya."

"And that's Chase and his brother Dylan."

"What's up?" Chase greeted.

Reggie turned to Clementine and smiled. "Hello! Who are you?"

Clem was silent for a moment. "This freaks you out." Reggie said, refering to his missing arm. "It's OK. Freaks me out too, sometimes. I'm used to it."

"My name's Clementine." Clem said.

Reggie smiled. "It's very nice to meet you, Clementine." he grinned as he held his hand out for her to shake, which she did. "Hey, where's Carlos?"

"Carver's got him lookin' at some folks right now." I explained.

"Oh... OK. Good. What about Pete and Marie?"

We all remain silent. I look down and scratch the back of my head. Reggie's smile falls, quickly figuring it out.

"Can you guys save it for the morning?" I heard a sleepy voice ask. We all turned to the direction where the voice came from and saw an African American man wearing a gray hoodie with blue jeans sitting up from his 'bed', glaring at us slightly. I can also see he's missing a chunk of his ear. Who's he? I don't recognize him...

"Some of us gotta be up early." he grumbled.

"Sorry!" Clementine called. "No problem! Sorry about that." Reggie also apologized. The man groaned, laid back down, and put his pillow over his head.

Reggie turned back to us. "Okay, that's Mike. He's kind of a dick when he's tired."

Tess smirked. "Sounds like someone I know." she said, turning to me.

I frowned and lightly punched her arm. "Shut up..."

"But... like I said, he saved my life, so... I put up with that shit. Bill put him to work outside the wall with me." Reggie said.

"I'm so sorry..."

"Stop with all the sorry. It was my choice. Besides, he said once you were all caught, he'd let me rejoined the group... so, I'm glad you're here." he says before he smiles. "I'm just joking."

Rebecca smiles. "I know..."

"I mean, he did say that, but I'm not happy about it." Reggie admitted.

"Who's she?" I heard Clementine ask. "Who?" I asked. I followed her gaze and found a girl sitting at a picnic table not too far from our position looking at us. She looked to be in her late teens to early twenties. She has short, cropped brown hair. The girl wore a brown jacket over a green shirt with blue jeans. Okay, I definitely don't recognize her.

The girl sees all of us looking at her and stands up. "Oh, yeah. Okay, so she's fuckin' weird. They found her sneaking around outside of the camp covered in guts and just, like, the grossest shit." Reggie explained as the girl walked over to a spot near the 'bunk beds' and laid down.

"It's probably best not to stare." Rebecca whispered. I directed my gaze away from her and looked back at Reggie. "I know how it must look, but it's really not that bad here." said Reggie.

"Reggie..." Tess sighed.

"No, I'm serious. Where else are you gonna find food like we have? We've got the canned stuff and now with the greenhouses coming along, we've got fresh food. The building's getting more and more secure all the time..." Reggie paused as he took a step away from us, then turned back around. "... mostly through forced labor, but that's only temporary. They've even got the solar panels working. When was the last time you guys had electricity, huh?"

"Well, we just came from a lodge with a wind turbine and-"

"It's not a competition." Reggie cut Sarah off. "I'm just saying, it's not as bad as you think. We're building something great here, guys. A real community. Bill is making it happen. Look, I've made mistakes, and he's forgiven me."

"That doesn't make up for what he's done, Reggie! Look what he did to my mother!" Tess spoke up.

"Carver killed my friend Walter." Clementine said. Chase frowned. "Yeah, he took him and shot him straight in the head!" he said. I closed my eye sadly. Walter was such a nice guy...

Reggie was clearly surprised by this news. "Okay, I-I don't know what happened, but maybe he had his reasons-"

"His reason is that he's a fucking monster!" Tess snapped.

"He's a crazy piece of shit!" Kenny agreed.

Reggie sighed. "Listen, I'm really close to getting let back in the group. Once that happens, I can do a lot more to help you guys be more comfortable."

"Comfortable? What do you think this is?!" Kenny asked as he crossed his arms. "I just don't want you to mess things up for me. I've worked really hard to get to this point. Will you please just try not to cause any trouble? At least until they release me?" Reggie requested. "Then once I'm out, I could help you more. Maybe even help get you out."

"OK, sure." Clem said.

Reggie smiled gratefully. "Okay. Thank you. It means a lot."

"She don't speak for all of us." Kenny piped up.

"No, but if she doesn't want to cause any trouble, she doesn't have to." Sarita said to Kenny. "We can at least talk about it more in the morning. Just have a quiet night and chat again tomorrow." Reggie suggested.

Is he seriously saying this?!

"I can't believe what I'm hearing..." Rebecca muttered, voicing my thoughts.

"Look, the fact is, Bill had every reason to kill me when I helped you guys out, but he didn't. Obviously, I don't know what happened while you guys were gone, but he's given me a second chance and I'd know he'd do the same for you."

"He didn't give my mother a second chance! He didn't give her a chance at all!" Tess growled.

"Reggie, I don't want a second chance. I want to leave with my family. That's it." Rebecca said firmly.

"Your family is safer here..."

Safe?! Not with him here!

"It's not safe as long as Carver's around!" I snapped. "He almost put a bullet in my fucking head several hours ago!"

Rebecca suddenly gasped and placed a hand on her stomach. The baby must be kicking hard...

"I need to sit down..."

Sarita stepped up to her. "Yeah, come on. Sarah? Can you go see if there's something for her to drink?" Sarita requested.

"Okay." Sarah nodded. "Yeah, there's water over by the benches." Reggie pointed out as we started heading in different directions. As I left, I heard him say, "That didn't go as planned... should have actually made a plan..."

I walked over to the bunk beds as Tess and Nick got into one of them together. I walked up to the girl from earlier to try and talk to her, but she lifted her head and glared at me. I smiled nervously and backed away.

Best not talk to her right now...

I then noticed Clementine checking out the bunk beds. "Guess it's better than the ground."

"It's not." Nick suddenly said. Clem then walked over to us. "Hey Clem." Nick greeted as he sat up. "Just thinkin' about Luke. Just... they're no way he's gone. That he'd left. How about it? Cause me, I've known him for damn near twenty years now and I can't buy it. Course I can't say the thought never crossed my mind. Things change. The whole damn world changed."

"Nick..." Tess sighed.

"I think you're right. He'd never leave you guys behind." said Clem.

"Us guys, you mean." Nick corrected, smiling slightly. Clem smiled. "Yeah."

I smiled and patted her on the head. "I'm glad you're with us, Clem."

Nick yawned and laid back down. "Guess I oughta try and get some sleep. You guys should, too. They're gonna ride our asses tomorrow for sure."

"Okay."

"Night."

Clem walked away. Tess looked up at me. "Anne, are you okay?" she asked.

I sighed. "My guitar... it was back at the lodge..."

"I know..."

I slouched over. "I paid over eighty five bucks for that thing! Eighty five! It took me forever to save up that!"

Tess chuckled slightly. "It's okay, Anne... we can find you another one..."

I smiled lightly at Tess's attempt to comfort me. "Thanks, Tess..."

Just then, I hear the door opening. I look over my shoudler and see Carlos step in. His broke fingers are now in a cast. Sarah smiled and jumped to her feet.

"Dad!" she exclaimed happily as she rushed forward and hugged him tightly. Troy scowled. "Alright, go the fuck to sleep!" he snapped as he stepped back to the door. "Troy, where's Alvin?!" Rebecca asked.

"Everybody get to bed!" Troy growled as he slammed the door back down and left.

Dylan glared as he left. "Man, I hate that guy..."

"Ditto..." I muttered. The two of us exchanged a smile as we headed towards places to sleep. I got into a bed below Dylan and next to Kenny and Sarita.

I laid my head down on the pillow and closed my eye. I then let sleep get the best of me and drift off to sleep.


	14. Correction

I** don't own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

So... dark...

Mm... what's going on?

"She... sleep... won't... wake her... now..."

That voice... who's voice is that?

Sounds so far away...

I sank deeper into my pillow... I don't wanna get up... I just wanted to sleep...

Suddenly, I feel something roughly nudge me, followed by "WAKE THE FUCK UP!"

My eye snapped open and I sat up. I sat up a little too quickly, because my forehead hit the bed above me.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL?!" I exclaimed as I rubbed my forehead. I blink, my vision a little hazy. Once it clears up, I see Troy scowling down at me.

"About fucking time. Get up, Bill's gonna have a word." he spat.

I glared back at him. I REALLY hate that guy... jackass.

Grumbling, I climb out from the bed and get to my feet. I walked over to the others just as Carver, Tavia, and a few other guards step into the yard and face us.

Carver was silent for a moment as he looked a us, then he spoke. "There's been increased walker activity along the fence, so be mindful when outsde the walls. The herd's moved a little closer as of this morning, but that still doesn't necessarily mean we'll be hit."

I rolled my eye as he continued to speak.

"Know that we're monitoring the situation. Now... there are some folks that might be sore about what happened... and how things went..."

Tess and Rebecca glared at Carver hatefully at these words.

"Well, that's all in the past now. Some of you are new to our community. Some of you are members who went astray. But know that you can find redemption here... forgiveness... by proving your worth through what will undoubtedly be hard work."

I sneered. You're one to talk about forgiveness...

"Reggie, you're nearly back in. Keep following the path and we'll welcome you back with open arms." he said to Reggie. "Let Reggie be an example to you all. Salvation is available, but it must be earned... Tess, my daughter, since she ran away also, will have to EARN back my trust, just like you all... my other daughter, Emily, will not be out here with you. I know you may be wondering why, because she was an innocent civilian who got caught up in a... bad situation... she has my trust... the trust all of you will have to work for... Anne, you have also gone astray from us, but you can find forgiveness from me through the work that we will have you do. If you want salvation back, you will have to earn it..."

I rolled my eye as I cross my arms. Salvation? Yeah, right! You're holding us against our will here! Goddamn control freak...

I droned him out as my eye wandered over to Sarah, who was whispering to Clementine.

"I was so tired..." I heard Sarah say.

"Pay attention." Clem whispered.

"Okay, yeah. Sounds good. I just thought it was nice to finally-"

I cast her a worried glance. Carver doesn't like it when someone's talking when he is...

"Carlos!" Carver snapped. All of us froze.

"Yes?"

"Your child seems to be in need of correction."

Correction?!

Carlos sighed. "I'm sorry... Sarah, a-apologize to Mr. Carver." Carlos told Sarah. Sarah looked down at her feet. "I... I'm sorry, sir..." she said meekly.

Carver frowned. "No, no... that ain't gonna cut it. I can't have this kind of behavior on your first day of reform. You discipline her now, Carlos." he ordered.

Who the hell does he think he is?! He can't control us!

"No!" Tess exclaimed.

"H-How do you propose that I-"

"One good smack across the mouth should do it. It'll make her think twice before opening it up again," he said as he crossed his arms. "Go on, we'll wait."

"That's taking it too far!" Chase snapped as he stepped forward, but Troy stopped him by pointing his assault rifle at him.

THAT'S IT!

I stepped in front of Sarah, holding my arm out in front of her. "It was me! I was the one talking! Not her!" I lied.

Carver shook his head. "Nice try, Anne, but I saw her moving her mouth. Now step back or you'll get what's comin' to her."

I sneered at him and took a step back.

"I... I'm not sure that with my hand I could-" Carlos said, trying to find a way past this, but Carver cut him off.

"Well, that's why you've got two hands, Carlos. Come on, and not some 'namby-pamby' thing, alright? A good, hard smack! Otherwise, Troy will do it for ya. I don't think you want that. He can be... overzealous. Is that the word?" he asked as he turned to Troy. The man nodded. "If it means that I'll slap the shit out of her, then yeah," he confirmed with a smirk.

"It was my fault!" Clementine said, coming to Sarah's defense. Troy scowled. "Hey! No one's fuckin' talking to you!" he growled, but Carver held his hand out, silencing him.

"Unless you want what she's about to get, I'd pipe down, missy." he frowned.

I clenched my fist as Tess growled. "You motherfu-!" she began, but shut up when Troy glared at her. Carlos closed his eyes sadly before turning to Sarah.

"I-I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry..."

"Close your eyes, honey. It's only going to sting for a second." Carlos told her gently. Sarah shut her eyes tightly as we looked on, horrified of what's about to happen.

"DO IT!" Carver ordered.

Reluctantly, Carlos slapped Sarah across the face, sending her hurtling towards the ground.

"Oh my god..." I whispered. Tess covered her mouth in shock. Dylan gasped and clenched fists. Sarah sat there, holding her cheek, whimpering. Carlos was horrified by what he had done. He stepped up to her. "I'm sorry, Sarah-"

"Stop!" Carver snapped. "You're not coddling that girl anymore! Let her sit there and think about what she's done."

That bastard... he can't just force him to discipline his daughter!

I growled as Carver turned to Troy. "Troy, get Carlos to his post. Everyone else should have their assignments. It's time to get to work."

Troy looked down at Sarah. "God damn, you really knocked the shit out of her, Doc!"

Carver looked over his shoulder. "Everyone get to work!"

I looked back down at Sarah and felt sympathy for the poor girl.

I reached out to her, but Tavia suddenly steps in front of Clem and I. "You two are working in the armory. Follow me." she ordered, frowning.

She turned around and walked out of the yard. I frowned at her back as Clem and I start to follow her.

"Soil coming up!"someone warned.

WHOA!

Two large bags of soil suddenly fall and land just inches away from Clem and I. I yelp, jumping back slightly. We look up, seeing the woman from last night standing on the roof looking down at us.

"Oh shit..." she muttered.

"Goddamn this thing!" I heard Kenny growl up on the roof.

"Clementine! Anne!" Tavia called. The two of us quickly ran to her and followed her down the hall.

* * *

As we walk down the hall, I see a girl with short dark brown hair wearing a brown long sleeved shirt looking at us.

Oh... it's HER...

"Well, look who's back." she frowned, crossing her arms. I stopped walking and glared at her.

"Nice to see you too, Becca." I greeted sarcastically.

Becca is the sister of Shel, one of the guards here at camp. She can be a pain in the ass at times... she and I never really got along back before I left.

"So, I heard Tess, Carlos, and the others were brought back too." she said.

I frown. "Yeah..."

"And Sarah's back too... I'd wish that baby'd stay gone..." she muttered.

Oh, THAT IS IT!

I grabbed Becca by the front of her shirt. "Don't call her that!" I snarled.

"What? She is!" she retorted.

"Do you know what kind of shit we had to go through the past few months?! Carver just forced Carlos to slap her! Just because she was talking!"

Becca's eyes widened as I yelled. Just then, I felt Clementine grab my arm.

"Anne, calm down!" she exclaimed. I looked at her for a moment before I reluctantly let go of Becca. Grumbling slightly, I leave her as Clem and I resume following Tavia. We then reached our destination and Tavia opens the door leading into the armory.

"Go on inside. Bonnie's waiting." she ordered us.

We stepped inside and Tavia closes the door. I saw Bonnie sitting by a table. She gestured for us to sit down. We took a seat.

"Hey... I guess you two are starting your day with me. We're loadin' magazines." she explained as she took a magazine and placed a bullet in it. Clementine followed her example.

Bonnie smiled. "That's it, you got it." she said as I took one and started loading it. She then gave us a guilty look. "I... suppose I owe you an apology."

I stopped loading the magazine for a moment and rose an eyebrow. She's apologizing...?

"I wasn't truthful when I came across y'all back at the lodge... and I was shown a kindness I never would've expected from a group of strangers. But... now folks are dead... and I can't help but feel that I'm to blame...but the plan was for no one to get hurt. I truely believe that was the intent. At least it was mine goin' into it..."

She sounded sincere when she said that... she really must mean it...

"It was just a bad situation... that got worse. A lot of people are to blame..." said Clem.

"That's big of you, but... I know what I done... but I wanted you to know that I regret my part in all of this."

I looked at her eyes, and I could tell she meant it.

"I apologize... which don't account for much, but it's all that I can offer right now."

"Bonnie... you really mean that?" I asked. She nodded. "Yes, Anne, I truely mean it. I swear, I regret my part in this... I didn't mean for that man to get killed."

She was silent for a moment. "So, how was your first night in the yard? I know it ain't so comfortable, but it's safe... which is more than I can say about a lot of places out there..."

Well, let's see... it was dark, cold...

"You mean my first night in prison..." Clementine muttered.

"Don't think of it that way... think of it as more of a work release." Bonnie suggested.

Clem rose an eyebrow. "Didn't they do those in prisons?"

Bonnie chuckled. "I don't really know. I've never been to prison." she admitted before looking at us. "Don't tell no one. Tryin' to keep a tough reputation."

I found myself smiling a little. You know... she's not that bad...

"I was supposed to go... when Luke and Carlos and all them left. I was planning on leavin' too."

"Really?" I asked as I rose an eyebrow. "Yeah... when Luke approached me about it, I thought he was crazy. I mean, we're safe here. We got power. We got food. And Bill... he wasn't always like this..."

"If you were gonna leave, then why didn't you?" I asked.

She sighed. "If I'm being honest... I guess I chickened out. I justified not goin' by tellin' myself that it's easier and change something that's broken than start all over. Take this situation with the herd... that's the type of thing that rips a community apart. Bill keeps things in line... he's got a lot of this stuff figured out. I don't know... I guess I just wanted to be somewhere comfortable for a while."

I frown. "Nobody's safe here with Carver around. Look at what happened to Coleen." I said.

"You're safe if you stay on his good side." said Bonnie.

"I would if I knew where it was..." Clem said.

"I mean, it ain't easy keeping a group this big fed and protected. I don't envy that position. Figure that'd make anyone stressed." Bonnie said. "I'm not defending what he did. That was..." she paused before she sighed. "I'm alive because of him. That's just a fact."

"Sounds like you really respect him." Clem pointed out.

"It's not that. I just have sympathy for the man... even though sometimes it's hard for him to do the same."

Sympathy? For HIM? That psycho?

Bonnie grabbed another magazine and began loading it. "Luke had ideas about how things should go, but they didn't line up with what Bill was thinking... they butted heads, then Rebecca started showing, and that only made things worse. Maybe Luke was right about him... I wish he was around, but... I just hope that he's safe."

I paused for a moment to think about what she said. "So do I..."

Bonnie nodded. Just then, her radio came on.

_"Hey Bonnie, is Anne and that girl still down there? I need to come and get them." _I heard Tavia's voice say. Bonnie picked up the radio and pressed the button. "Yeah, they're here." she confirmed.

_"OK, I'll be right over."_

Tavia then hung up. Bonnie then stood up. "Oh, I almost forgot! I grabbed these for ya." she said as she walked over to a box and pulled out two jackets. One was a sky blue jacket with a rainbow on the front and the other was a leather jacket. She handed them to us.

I smiled. "No way!" I gasped as I slipped the leather jacket on. Clementine put on the rainbow jacket and zipped it up. Bonnie smiled and placed a hand on her hip. "Huh? What do you think? I found those at the lodge y'all were at." she explained.

"It's cool. I like it." Clem said with a smile.

Bonnie smiled. "Well, I'm glad. Thought it was pretty cute."

"Hey Clem, do I look cool in this or what?" I asked with a grin as I gestured to the leather jacket. Clementine smiled lightly. "Yeah." she said with a nod.

"Just give me a pair of sunglasses and I'm ready to go!" I joked.

"Oh, Anne, I also grabbed this for ya." Bonnie told me as she walked over to another table. I watched her and rose an eyebrow as she pulled something out from behind a table and walked back over to us with it. My eye widened at the item she carried. It was...

"MY GUITAR!" I gasped out as Bonnie handed it to me. She smiled. "Yep. I knew how much you liked playing this thing, so I grabbed it when no one was looking before we left the lodge." the red haired woman explained.

I smile as I sling my guitar over my shoulder. "Thank you, Bonnie. You don't know how much this means to me..."

"Don't mention it." Bonnie told me with a smile before turning to Clem. "You better watch yourself. I think some folks might be jealous of that cool jacket of yours."

Then, of course, Tavia steps in and ruins the moment.

"Oh, there you are. What's with the ugly jacket?"

Well, your jacket ain't exactly pretty, either...

"Tavia!" Bonnie sighs.

"What?"

Bonnie shook her head. "Nevermind. I'll see you two later."

"Yep. See ya, Bon." I said as Clem and I followed Tavia out of the armory.

* * *

We then step through a door that led to the roof.

"Follow me. Come on." Tavia ordered. We followed her over to a greenhouse. My gaze wandered over to the edge of the roof, seeing how high up we were.

I hate heights...

Tavia opens the door to the greenhouse and Clem and I step in.

"Stay in here for a minute. I'm gonna radio down and find what you're doing. Don't touch anything." Tavia said before shutting the door.

I take a look around the greenhouse, amazed by the sight. There's fresh plants everywhere! Some even have edible food!

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when I hear whimpering. I look to my left and see Sarah huddled in a corner, whimpering as she rocked back and forth.

Sarah...

I walked over to her and knelt by her side. "Hey, Sarah..." I greeted softly. I can see a red hand imprint on her cheek.

"You... want a hug?" Clem asked. Sarah was silent. "Okay... well, I owe you one for later, then. You might not know when it's coming, but I could just sneak up on you when you're not expecting it."

I found myself smiling. Aw, that's cute...

"My Dad's never hit me before..." Sarah finally spoke as she gingerly placed a hand on her cheek. "Even when I was really bad... he never hit me."

I place a hand on her shoulder. "Carlos didn't wanna do it, Sarah. Carver made him."

"He's the bad guy, not your dad." Clem agreed. "So, in a weird way, Carver's the one that hit you... not your dad."

Sarah seemed to think about it for a moment. "I guess so... well, then Carver hit me super hard... cause it still hurts like crazy."

She looked at us. "Thanks... for trying to help."

Clem and I smiled for a brief moment. "I don't know why people have to be so mean. Even when I'm really mad, I still don't wanna hurt anyone..."

Just then, Tavia stepped in with Reggie and Dylan. "Don't mess this up." she told Reggie.

"Yeah, I get it." Reggie said.

"Reggie's in charge here, okay? Listen to him carefully."

"Yep. No problem, Tavia."

Tavia then shut the door. Dylan frowned. "I hate that bitch..." he muttered. I smirked. "Ooh, Good one..."

Suddenly, the door opened back up and Tavia looked at us. "Someone say something?"

"No." All of us surprisingly say at the same time. She seemed to buy it and closed the door.

Reggie then turned to Clem, Sarah, Dylan, and I. "Okay, we gotta do a good job, guys. The camp is counting on us. Come on, I'll show you what to do. It's super easy." he said as he leads us over to a table. "Pick up a pair of those shears."

We did, but Sarah hesitated before picking hers up.

"OK, so we're picking these berries, right? Just pick them, put them in the basket. It's pretty simple. While you're at it, if you see any dead branches, take those shears, cut them off, and stack them neatly for composting. You got it?"

"So... we're basically gardening?" Dylan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Reggie nodded. "Something like that."

Dylan sighed. "Oh joy..." he muttered sarcastically. I found myself smiling a little. I ain't exactly a fan of this kind of stuff either...

We walk away from Sarah's table. Reggie looks at Sarah before he looks back at us. "Hey, so... is she gonna be okay? Cause what happened down there... that was straight fucked up. I don't want her freaking out getting me in trouble."

"We've talked to her, Reggie. I think she's okay." I told him.

He nodded. "Good... good. Cause I'm awful at that kind of stuff. Look, Bill's had it out for me ever since I helped those guys escape, so I gotta concentrate on my work."

He was silent for a moment before he suddenly patted Clem on the head. I looked down at silently snickered at her expression. She's not amused...

My one-armed friend took a step back. "That was awkward... I won't do that again. I'm gonna go work now." Reggie said before he patted me on the head. "See ya, Raggedy Anne."

Dylan and I headed over to a table and started picking the berries. Dylan then smirked. "So... 'Raggedy Anne', huh?"

I sigh. "Reggie says that I looked pretty ragged when I first came to the community, and my name reminded him of the doll, so he started calling me that." I explained. "I've told him over and over again not to call me that... after a while, I decided to just go with it..."

"Well, I think it's pretty cute."

I stiffened. C-Cute?

"R-Really?" I asked as a light blush came to my face. Dylan smiled. "Yeah, I think it suits you."

I look away, blushing. He really thinks that?

I quickly started picking the berries and trimming the dead branches off again. Damn Carver is makin' us work like he _owns_ us.

After a while, I look at Clem, and a sudden thought pops into my head.

"Hey, Clem." I called. She looked up from her work and at me. "Yeah?" she asked.

"I just came up with a song. Wanna hear it?"

She rose an eyebrow, but shrugged. "Sure..."

I smirk and start singing as I pick a few berries.

_"I hate Carver so damn much_

_Screw Carver, Screw Carver_

_I hope that Carver dies_

_Screw Carver-ver_

_Hey!"_

Dylan snickers at the lyrics I made up and Clem smiles slightly. "That... doesn't rhyme."

I sigh and slump my shoulders. "I know..."

Clem snickers, but her smile falls as she turns to Sarah, who seems to be having trouble doing her work. Clem looked at her work before she walked over to Sarah's table. "Here, watch me." she told her as she showed an example of trimming the branches. I found myself smiling before I turned back to my work.

* * *

A while later, Dylan and I finish the last of our work. Dylan sighs in relief. "Finally. This was getting so boring."

"You're telling me..."

We turn to Sarah's table, and see that Sarah has finished her work too.

"This isn't that hard, Sarah." Clem said.

"I know, I'm just afraid that I'll make a mistake..."

"It's not the end of the world if you do." Clem assured her. "Just keep going."

Just then, I hear a door closing outside. I look out the window and see Carver coming towards the greenhouse. Oh great...

Reggie turned to Clem's table and his eyes widened. "You didn't do any of your work, Clem!" he said.

"Oh shit..." Dylan whispered as we turned to Clem's table. He was right. None of Clem's work was done! There wasn't enough time to get them trimmed!

Carver then stepped inside. "Just checking in... seeing how the new girls and boy are working out."

He notices Clem's unfinished work and frowns. "Reggie..." he began, dangerously calm. "Yeah, Bill?" Reggie asked nervously. "What the fuck happened here?" Carver asked.

"Look, Bill, they're new, and me and my arm, it's just not easy- I have one arm-"

"Shut up, shut up, shut the fuck up." Carver demanded. "You better have an explanation for this. And I mean now."

My eye widened as I watched Reggie frantically try to come up with something to say. Carver then cuts him off. "Sounds like you're about to give me an excuse when I asked for an explanation."

"We'll get it done. Just give us some time-"

"It's my fault. I helped Sarah do her work." Clem told him. Carver shook his head. "Nah, this ain't your fault..."

I tensed as Carver frowned. "We talked about this, Reggie, didn't we? But, you just don't get it, do you?"

"Get what? I... I..."

Carver crossed his arms. "Why don't you go wait outside? Reggie and I have a few things to talk about."

"Reggie-" I began, but he cut me off. "Anne, go. I'll be okay..." Reggie told me. Reluctantly, I stepped out of the greenhouse with Dylan, Sarah, and Clementine. I then noticed Sarah walking over to the edge of the roof, rubbing her arms.

"Sarah...?" I asked slowly as Dylan, Clem, and I slowly approached her. Clem reached out to her. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Suddenly, the greenhouse door slammed open. Reggie stumbled out as Carver stormed towards him, backing him towards the end of the roof.

"I gave you plenty of chances!" Carver snapped.

"NO, NO, NO, NO! PLEASE, BILL! NO! NO! PLEASE!" Reggie pleaded before Carver grabbed him by the front of his shirt.

REGGIE!

"NO!" I exclaimed as Clem, Dylan, and I rushed forward to try and help him, but it was too late.

"REGGIE, NO!" I screamed as Carver threw Reggie off the edge of the building. I heard a sickening splat, and I gasped, knowing what had happen. I slowly looked over the edge, seeing Reggie's body with a pool of blood forming around it.

"Oh God..." Dylan groaned at the sight. I covered my mouth in horror.

No... no... Not Reggie!

"Weakness... incompetence... it puts us all at risk." Carver said as he crossed his arms. "And it won't be tolerated. You think about that the next time you're asked to do something."

My shock turned to anger as I clenched my fists tightly, glaring at the control freak. I looked back at Sarah, who was looking down at her feet in shock.

"You three get downstairs. Bonnie, Emily, and Shel are down there. Go!" he ordered. I shot him a hateful glare as we headed to the door leading back inside. I looked over my shoulder and saw Carver start talking to Sarah. As the door closed and we took a few steps away from it, I felt the rage boiling inside of me. I gritted my teeth as I turned back to the door. After a moment, I finally let my rage out with two simple words-

**"FUCK YOU!"**


	15. No Time For Goodbyes

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I seethed as Dylan, Clem, and I headed downstairs. I don't care if he heard me yell that.

Reggie... he's... I couldn't believe it. Carver MURDERED him! He straight up murdered Reggie! And I saw it!

What am I gonna tell Tess and Rebecca?!

I'm pulled out of my thoughts as we see Bonnie, Emily, and a woman with short brown hair holding buckets filled with nails and bolts. I recognize the short haired woman as Shel, one of the guards here at the community and Becca's older sister.

Bonnie looked over her shoulder and noticed us.

"Oh, hey." she greeted as she stood up. Shel noticed me. "Anne? Haven't seen you in a long time." she mused as she smiled.

"Yep." I say.

They hand us the three buckets. "So, they want you guys to run some supplies out to the guys workin' on the expansion. Real simple, just take these over to 'em." Bonnie explained.

Emily smiled. "I gotta say, that jacket looks cool on ya, Clem. So does yours, Anne." she comments. Bonnie smiled and crossed her arms. "I don't know what Tavia's talkin' about..." she said.

Clementine looked down. Bonnie noticed her expression and her smile fell. "What's wrong, guys?" she asked.

We were silent for a moment. "You guys look like you've seen a ghost." Shel said, voicing her concern.

"Reggie... he's dead..." I said bluntly. All three of their eyes widened. "What? What're you talking about, Anne?" asked Emily.

I looked straight at her. "Your father killed him... he pushed Reggie off the roof!"

She gasped and shook her head in disbelief. "No... no... Daddy'd never do something like that!"

I crossed my arms. "Your 'Daddy' did the exact same thing back at the lodge!" I brought up with a scowl.

"Maybe... maybe it was an accident..." Shel guessed.

Dylan shook his head. "That was no accident. He straight up murdered him! We saw him push him off the goddamn roof!"

"NO! My father would never do that! He's a good man!" Emily exclaimed before she ran away, disappearing around a corner.

"EMILY-!" Clem called, but it was too late. She was gone. Bonnie and Shel looked around to make sure no one else was around before looking at us. "Listen to me. Take this stuff over there and come straight back." Bonnie said quickly. "Just... be safe, okay? Now ain't the time to be callin' attention to yourselves."

"I have to go find out what happend..." Shel muttered to herself. Bonnie walked over to a door and opened it. Dylan, Clementine, and I stepped through it, finding ourselves outside. "Hey, Troy! Dylan, Anne, and Clem's just gonna take some nails down to them boys!" she called up to Troy, who I could see was oberving us from the roof.

"Alright!" he called down. Bonnie looked at us. "I'm gonna go try and find Emily. Go on." she whispered before shutting the door. I looked over my shoulder and gasped. Reggie's corpse was inches away from us... his eyes were still wide open with fear...

Oh God... I think I'm gonna hurl...

I looked away, unable to take the sight anymore. Dylan shuts his eyes and turns away.

"Hey! That ain't none of your concern!" Troy snapped at us. "Get that stuff over to them boys! Just follow the cables."

None of our concern?! Reggie was my friend!

Growling to myself, we follow the cables. We pause for a moment and look at the makeshift wall, which has walkers pounding on it on the other side.

"I ain't comfortable being this close to walkers..." Dylan muttered.

"No one is..." Clem told him before we stepped into an abandoned store.

"I ain't nobody's laborer! Fuck that!"

Oh, what now?!

I look to my right and see Kenny fighting with Mike, the sleepy man from last night.

"Let 'em do this shit themselves if it's so goddamn important!"

"Get your fuckin' hands off me!" Mike snapped.

"You ain't gonna force me to do this bullshit!" Kenny growled.

"I said get your hands off me!" Mike repeated.

"Or what? You gonna go tell on me?"

"I'm trying to help you, asshole."

We drop our buckets of nails and rush over to them. "Hey! Break it up!" Dylan snapped as he seperated Kenny from Mike. "What's going on here?!" I asked. "Why are you fighting?!"

"This sonuvabitch keeps testing me!"

"Hey, I just wanna get the work done!" Mike shot back.

Suddenly, a board blocking the window slid down due to the fight, revealing walkers pounding on the other side of the window. Aw shit...

The walkers pound on the glass one more time, shattering the window, and begin to climb in.

"OH SHIT!" Dylan exclaimed as we backed away from it. "Grab something!" Kenny yelled as he grabbed a hammer. I saw Clem grab a plank of wood, but I looked away when I noticed a pair of walkers starting to come towards Dylan and I.

"Find anything?!" Dylan asked.

"Uh..."

I searched around quickly and noticed a screwdriver and a crowbar at my feet. I quickly pick them up and hand the crowbar to Dylan.

"Thanks!" he said as he took it.

I look down at the screwdriver. "It ain't my hunting knife, but it'll have to do!"

"I'll take the one on the left! You take the one on the right!"

And with that, he swings the blunt part down on the walker's head. I back away from the walker on the right before I reel my arm back and stab the sharp part of the screwdriver right into the walker's forehead. The growls cease almost immediately and the walker drops to the ground. Dylan slams the crowbar down on the walker he took a second time, then a third time, and finished the job.

I look to my right and see a third walker stumbling towards us.

SHIT!

I pick up a hammer and quickly slam the sharp end of it into the head. The walker collaspes, but weakly groans and reaches out to me. I slam the hammer into its skull a second time. The walker then ceases growling and drops to the ground, completely dead.

I then yank the hammer out of the walker's skull, panting slightly.

That... was way too close!

"Where's Clementine?!" Kenny asked as he took out the final walker in the room.

Troy suddenly steps out of a back room with Clementine in tow. "Making me save your ass..." I heard him grumble.

Kenny sighed in relief. "Oh, thank god you're okay!"

Troy rolled his eyes. "Alright, enough mushy shit. You get back inside right fuckin' now! I'm sure they've got shit for you to do." he snapped at Dylan, Clem, and I. "Now! You think I'm fucking around?! Now I gotta sit here and babysit you assholes! Can't do a simple fuckin' patch job without me crackin' the whip?!"

I glared at Troy as Dylan and I stepped out first.

"I hate that asshole so much..." Dylan muttered.

"Same here..."

He looked back at me. "I gotta say... you did a pretty damn good job taking out those walkers."

"... You weren't so bad yourself."

* * *

Dylan and I walked down a hall.

"ANNE!"

Huh?

I turned around and saw Tess running towards us.

"Tess? What's wrong?" I asked.

She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "I... I heard about Reggie..."

I looked away sadly. "Carver killed him... he threw him right off the roof..."

She gasped. "Oh my god..." she whispered before she pulled me into a hug. I closed my eye sadly. Reggie was good friends with Tess...

Tess sniffed and pulled away. "C-Come on... we have to get back to the yard..."

I sigh and nod before the three of us head toward the door leading into the yard.

* * *

We sat around the campfire as we ate our supper.

"So... he pushed him off the roof?!" Chase asked.

I took a bite of beans and nodded sadly. "That fuckin' monster..." he growled.

Rebecca shed a couple tears, hearing that Reggie was dead.

I shut my eye. I'll never hear his voice call me 'Raggedy Anne' again...

"He was the one who started calling me 'Raggedy Anne'..." I muttered. "I miss him already..."

Dylan placed a hand on my shoulder as I looked down at the ground.

We were silent for several minutes before Tess said "I see you've gotten your guitar back."

I set my bowl down. "Yeah... Bonnie grabbed it for me."

Her eyes widened. "She did?!" she asked in disbelief. "Yeah, she also gave Clem and I jackets." I told her as I gestured to my leather jacket. "Guess she isn't so bad after all..."

She seemed to smile briefly, but it quickly fell as she looked back down at her bowl. I looked back down at my guitar, which laid by my side. I stared at it for a moment, thinking about the events of today, before I pick it up and sit down in a chair not too far from the campfire.

"Anne? What're you doing?" Nick asked me, but I ignored him. I started strumming my guitar, gaining everyone's attention, even the girl from earlier, who sat near the bunk beds. But I ignored them, closed my eye, and began singing a song I knew.

_"No time for goodbye_

_He said, as he faded away_

_Don't put your life in someone's hands_

_They're bound to steal it away_

_Don't hide you mistakes _

_Cause they'll find you, burn you_

_Then he said_

_If you want to get out alive_

_Whoa-oh, run for your life_

_If you want to get out alive_

_Whoa-oh, run for your life."_

I opened my eye and saw everyone looking at me. They each had a look of interest.

_"This is my last time, she said_

_As she faded away_

_It's hard to imagine_

_But one day, you'll end up like me _

_Then she said_

_If you want to get out alive_

_Whoa-oh, run for your life_

_If you want to get out alive_

_Whoa-oh, run for your life-"_

As I sang, I thought of Reggie... Walter... and... Coleen...

They were all victims of Carver...

"Psst!"

I stopped singing abruptly.

"You guys hear something?" I asked. Tess nodded.

"Over here!"

We look around, searching for the source of the voice until I see someone standing on the other side of the fence. It was...

"LUKE?!" I exclaimed. Almost everyone hopped up to their feet and ran to the fence. "Hey guys." he greeted. "Where the hell have you been all this time?!" Rebecca asked.

"I've been lookin' for you guys!" he said.

"Well, you took your sweet time..." Chase joked.

"Listen, I don't have much time... earlier today, I talked to Clem. I told her about a way to get you guys outta here..."

"What is it?!" Tess asked impatiently. "If Clem can get me a radio, I can keep an eye on what's going on with the guards... then, I can get you all out of this place!" Luke explained.

"And just how are you gonna do that?" I asked.

"You see, I-"

Luke cut himself off when he noticed something. "Oh shit! Gotta go!" he whispered before he ran away from the fence and headed... somewhere else...

"Luke, wait! What are you-!" Tess exclaimed, but he was already gone. I sighed.

"Great..."

* * *

"Kenny, are you nuts?!"

"Think about it! Lotta sound draws a lotta walkers..."

The door opened up. I looked away from the argument that was going on and looked over my shoulder, seeing Clementine walking towards us.

"Hey Clem," I greeted.

"What's going on?"

I turned back to the others. "Just watch..."

"-cause we all know what happened this morning! I don't know what that sonuvabitch is gonna do next!" Kenny said.

"So you wanna ring the dinner bell for a herd of walkers to show up? How good is that?" Mike asked.

Chase nodded. "I gotta say, Kenny, that's the worst plan I've ever heard of..."

"This place'll be fucking chaos when that thing hits! No one will be paying attention to us. And that's when we go. That's our opening! We just gotta figure out a way to draw 'em to us." Kenny said as Clem took a seat. Rebecca turned to her. "Your friend here wants to get us killed by lurkers before Bill can do it." she sighed. Kenny frowned and looked at her. "What is it with you?"

"That's what is sounds like to me," she said with a shrug.

"You know that's not what he's saying, but... it does sound dangerous." said Sarita.

"This shit is all dangerous!" Kenny snapped.

"Kenny! Do not speak to me like that." Sarita scolded.

"Sorry..."

"Maybe Luke could help us." Clem piped up. "He's outside. He wants a radio to help keep an eye on the guards."

Rebecca smiled. "Thank you. That's the plan I vote for."

Clem rose an eyebrow. "You know about Luke?"

I nodded. "Yeah. He flagged us down not too long ago and told us his plan. He mentioned that he talked to you." I confirmed.

"If Luke can tell us what's going on with the guards, we can use that to pick a good time to escape," said Rebecca. "That seems reasonable," Sarita agreed.

"Who knows when that'll be." Kenny sighed. "There was a girl back at Crawford that used church bells to send walkers all over the city. We just need something really loud." he said.

"Well, the PA system that Dad uses is pretty loud..." Tess pointed out.

"There's some speakers outside the building... pointed towards the parking lot." Mike explained. "I saw 'em when we were walking out to the work. Troy's always standing next to one of them. There are a few of 'em on the roof."

If Troy's always standng next to them... this is gonna be a lot harder than I thought...

"I saw the controls... they're in Carver's office..." Clementine explained.

"She's right..." Tess muttered.

"It's all controlled in Bill's office. There's a switch in there that'll turn it on." Rebecca explained.

"How do you know that?" Dylan asked.

Tess sighed. "Rebecca and I used to help make announcements back then..." she admitted. "I had it flipped on once... luckily there wasn't much around at the time to hear it, but it was plently loud though..." Rebecca remembered.

Kenny smiled. "That's perfect! We just gotta get into his office! Why didn't you say something like that sooner?"

"Cause it doesn't change anything. This isn't a discussion about how to do it, it's a discussion about whether it's stupid. And it's still stupid. The sensible thing to do is get Luke the radio and wait for an opening." Rebecca said.

Kenny sighed. "You're real difficult to deal with sometimes..."

"Kenny..."

"No, that's alright, you ain't exactly a peach either."

"Luke's in no shape to help us. You wanna put our fate in THAT guy's hands? It's not happening."

Well, Kenny's right about that... Luke DID look tired last time we saw him...

"We should get Luke a radio." said Clem. "If we do, he can tell us what's going on and find us a way to get out."

"OK, I can go with that." Kenny agreed. "So we get that turd a radio, he keeps us posted on the walkers and guards. We fire up the PA thing and bring the walkers to roll over this place." he planned.

"And then what? What do you plan to do next?" I asked.

"Get some guns and shoot our way out. I don't know, whatever we can! We improvise." Kenny told me.

"Then that's not a plan. You don't plan to improvise." Mike disagreed.

Rebecca looked at Kenny. "I've figured out what your problem is. You don't think this stuff through. If the end of the plan is to just stroll through a herd of walkers, then you should know from the jump that there's no way it's gonna work."

"Actually..." we heard a female voice pipe up. We turn around and see the girl from earlier walking towards us. "I do it all the time."

Wait, WHAT?!

She walks through herds of walkers?! How the hell is she still alive then?!

"Now that's fucked up." I say.

Mike nodded, agreeing with me. "First words I ever hear you say, and it's some crazy, stupid shit." he said.

"Hush." Sarita whispered before she looked back up at the girl. "What do you mean exactly?"

"When you cover yourself in their smell... rub the walker guts all over you.. they can't tell you apart from one of them." the mysterious girl explained. All of our eyes widened at this revealation.

"I don't know who's crazier now..." Tess said.

"Trust me, I've walked through herds before. It works. You just have to keep calm and make sure you're good and covered." said the girl.

"How the hell do you stay calm when there's dozens of walking corpses around you that want to eat your flesh?!" I asked.

"You seem to know what you're talking about..." Sarita observed.

"Lee figured that out," Clem brought up.

Lee? Wasn't he the guy that looked after Clem when this all started?

"What?" Kenny gasped.

All of us turned to Clementine, shocked at what she said. "It's how we got out of the Marsh House after he saved me. Lee covered me and we walked right through the herd." she explained.

Kenny smiled. "Holy shit. Good one, Lee..."

"He must have been one smart guy." I said. Clementine smiled lightly and nodded. "He was..."

Kenny then stood up. "Alright! What're we waitin' for? Let's get that stupid radio!"

"We still have to find a way into the stockroom." Rebecca pointed out.

The girl nodded. "I got a plan for that, too. Come on, kid. Gonna need your help. You too, Bandana." she said as she walked past us. Kenny looked back at the group. "Where the hell'd she come from?" he asked.

I frowned slightly at the nickname she gave me as Clem and I followed her.

"I have a name, you know..." I grumbled.

The girl smirked. "Oh yeah? What is it?"

"Anne."

The girl smirked again and nodded. "Jane." she told me as the three of us reached the wall and looked up at the winch. "We just need to use the winch... they can just climb up from there. Then just drop into one of the skylights over the stockroom." Jane told us as she turned to Clem and I. "There are shelves and stuff for you to land on, so... you probably won't fall to your death." she shrugged as the others walked to us.

Well, thanks for the comfort...

"Great..." Clem said flatly.

Rebecca looked up at the winch. "That thing breaks all the time. Unless something's changed, it won't support much weight, let alone the weight of two people." she told us.

"Come on. Up and at 'em..." Kenny said to Clem.

"Don't push them, Kenny..." Sarita warned.

"They're our best bet. I mean that, you two." he told us.

"Now or never, I guess." Clem said.

Kenny smiled. "That's my girl."

Dylan stepped up to me. "Anne, let me do this. You can't risk getting caught." he insisted, but I shook my head. "Dylan, I'll be fine. I know my way around this place, so I can help Clem get to the stockroom." I explained. He nodded. "O-Okay... just be careful..." he told me.

"I thought you said you hated heights...?" Tess brought up. I looked up at the winch. "It's not that high up..." I said slowly, trying not to stumble from seeing the height. I turned to her. "Watch my guitar for me, okay?"

She smiled and nodded. "Be careful, Anne."

"Got it." I said with a nod.

"We gotta get that rope down," Kenny told us as he turned to Mike. "Mike, you wanna boost her up?"

He nodded. "Sure. Come on, kid." he said to Clem as he walked over to the winch.

"Don't let go." Clem told him as he picked her up.

"I got you." he assured her. I watched as she pulled the rope down. Once the hook landed on the ground, Mike set her down. Clem and I stood on the hook and held onto the rope as Mike started pulling us up.

"Try to hurry, alright?" he requested. "I don't think they're the sharpest guards in the world, but they're no idiots either. They see that you two are not in your bunk, we're done for."

He's right about that... we have to hurry...

I then heard footsteps. That must be Troy...

Mike's eyes widened as he had also heard the footsteps. "Shit, he's coming back!" he swore before he looked back up at us. "I gotta let you go. I can't stand here! Grab something!"

I quickly grab the ladder cage and hold on tightly. I help Clementine grab the ladder cage and we both slip into it and start to climb up the ladder. As we climbed above the fence, my gaze wandered out beyond the wall.

Holy crap...

There's gotta be at least a thousand walkers out there! They keep kicking up dust, but I can tell there's a lot of them...

I then say the first words that pop into my mind-

"We're in deep shit."


	16. Plan in Action

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I was the first to climb onto the roof and Clem followed a moment later. I crouched down and signaled for Clem to do the same.

"Stay down." I hissed as I looked around the corner, seeing several skylights and solar panels.

I then look up and see a guard standing on top of another roof nearby.

Well, this is just great...

"Man, you're not gonna believe what I'm looking at." the guard spoke into a radio. "There's gotta be two or three thousand of 'em out there."

Clem and I hustled over to the greenhouse and hid behind it while he was distracted.

_"In the parking lot?"_

"No, not in the parking lot. I can't see all of them, but... I see the dust they're kicking up."

I hustled over to a skylight near the roof the guard was standing on and peer into it. I can see Carver sitting in his office.

That son of a bitch... sitting there like he's on a throne after what he's done!

"You think we're ready this time?"

_"I don't know... Bill thinks we are."_

"Course he does, but he thought the same thing last time."

I look away from Carver. Last time? So a herd came through here while Tess and I were gone?

_"We learned a lot since last time."_

"Is it enough, though?"

_"We'll find out if they turn this way."_

Heh, dumbass is too focused on the herd...

I quickly head back over to the greenhouse and hide behind it with Clem.

"Did that lead to the stockroom?" she asked me in a barely audible voice. I shook my head. "No, it led to Carver's office." I whispered.

We see a skylight near us and hustle over to it. I peered through the glass and saw a room filled with shelves. This is it!

I looked at Clem and nodded, confirming that this would take us to our destination. I lifted the door up and let her climb through the skylight first before I follow. I land on top of a box with Clementine before we crouch down. I look down, seeing Tavia sitting in a chair. Near her is a table with radios.

Well, this is gonna be a lot harder now...

We watched as she stood up and walked away from the table.

_"It's crazy about Reggie, huh?"_

"Yeah." Tavia nodded.

_"You think Bill..."_

"Go on," Tavia said, wanting to hear what he was going to say next.

_"No, I was just... I was just wondering if you thought Bill maybe..."_

Slowly, Clem and I crawled down and shimmied our way across the shelves.

"Spit it out, Hank." Tavia sighed. I could tell she was getting frustrated...

_"I don't think that Bill was gonna let him back in."_

"You don't?"

_"No. Do you?"_

"I don't know..." Tavia muttered. "So really, no bullshit. You think we're ready?"

We then reached the end of the shelf and started climbing down pallets.

_"I think so. The homestead, at least. I'm not sure about the 'expansion'. They're out there, just moaning..."_

I'm the first to reach the floor. Clem's feet touch the ground after mine. We then hid behind a stack of boxes as Tavia walked away. She seemed too focused on talking to Hank, the guard on the roof. Clem stepped forward, but I saw Tavia starting to look our way, so I quickly yanked Clem back to me.

I looked at Clementine and held a finger to my lips as we crouched down behind the boxes.

"... I'll give you that one."

_"So what're you doing tomorrow?"_

"Bill wants me to start getting this bay door fixed," Tavia said as she turned away and walked away a few feet. Now's our chance!

I looked down at Clem, who nodded and hustled over to the table with the radios.

_"What happened to it again?"_

Tavia sighed. "Troy backed into it when we brought the prisoners- the new people in."

She's talking about us...

_"See? It's hard not to call them prisoners."_

"Bill's two daughters were with them." Tavia explained. "One of them is out in the yard with the others while the other one is in here with us."

_"Why isn't she out with them?"_

"Bill says that she was just a civilan caught in a bad situation..." Tavia said. "Anne, the girl that's always wearing that bandana, was with them too."

_"Ah, the rebel. Figures, she ran away with Tess..."_

"Tess was pretty mad about what happened to Coleen..."

_"I don't get why Anne ran away too."_

I frowned. I ran away because there was no way in hell I was sticking around here after seeing what Carver truely was! I wasn't gonna let my friend go out there alone...

"Well, she is good friends with her..."

Clem slowly reached for the radios as I watched anxiously. Tavia kept walking around talking to Hank through the radio.

Please don't look this way... please don't look this way...

Tavia then walked away as Clem slowly took two radios from the table.

Yes!

We got 'em! Now we just gotta get outta here!

Clementine quickly came back to my hiding spot. She handed me one of the radios. I took it and stuffed it into my pocket as we quickly climbed back up the pallets and back onto the shelves. We started shimmying across it again, but I froze when I looked down and saw Tavia start smoking.

Oh shit...

Please don't look up... Please don't look up...

"You can't be smoking back here!"

Clementine and I froze as we watched a man walk up to Tavia. I recognized the man as Vince, another guard here at the community.

"If Bill catches a whiff of smoke, he'll flip!" Vince said. "You know what? I'm not gonna cover it up this time. I'm telling." he said as he started walking away. Tavia quickly put the cigarette out. "Vince, wait. Come on. Vince!" she called as she ran after him.

Whew, that was close!

We quickly made it back to the skylight and climbed through it, finding ourselves back on the roof. Clem closed the door and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank god she didn't see us!

"Talk about a close call, huh?" I whispered. Clem nodded before we quickly head over to the ladder leading back to the yard. I go first, then she follows me.

I look down and try not to think about how high up I was. I noticed Mike leaning against the wall with his arms crossed observing the door.

"Psst! Mike!" I whispered. He looked up and saw me.

"You get 'em?" he asked.

I nodded. "OK, jump down, I'll catch you," he said as he stood below the ladder and held his arms out. As I reached the end of it, I looked down at him.

Please catch me...

I let go and jumped down right into his arms.

I sigh in relief. "Nice catch." I praised as he sat me down and caught Clem. "We best get in bed. Troy'll be back any minute." Mike whispered. I nodded and we quickly headed over to the bunk beds. Tess, Kenny, and Dylan sat up.

"You OK?" Dylan asked.

I nodded.

"Well?" Kenny asked. I smirked as Clem and I pulled the radios out of our pockets and showed them to him. "We got 'em!"

He smiled. "You sneaky little devils..."

I smirk at his remark as we head to our beds.

"OK, everyone, stay where you are. No need drawin' suspicion." Kenny told us.

"That was so cool." Sarah whispered as we laid down in our beds.

"Thank you, guys." Kenny thanked.

I then heard Jane speak up. "I told ya you probably wouldn't die. Nice job."

"Thanks." Clem said.

Jane smiled. "Yep. Anyway, get some rest."

I laid my head on my pillow and closed my eye.

"You know, Anne..."

I opened my eye at the sound of Dylan's voice. "Yeah?"

"When you were up there, I was praying that you were alright. That no one saw you. I'm glad you're OK."

I found myself smiling. "That's real sweet." I say. "Thank you."

I heard Dylan chuckle. "You're welcome."

He then sighed. "Well, we got a long day tomorrow. Better get some rest."

"Yep," I muttered.

"Night, Anne."

"Night."

I laid my head back down on the pillow as I let exhaustion consume me.

It's gonna be a long day tomorrow...

One long day...


	17. Secrets Revealed

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

It's now morning. We are gathered around a table looking down at the radio.

"Alright, we're all here." Kenny said.

"Someone's gotta get the radio out to Luke. What's the problem?" asked Rebecca.

"We should probably figure out who's doin' what before we-"

Kenny was cut off by the sound of the door opening. Ah, great...

Kenny quicky hid the radio as Tavia and a few guards stepped in.

"Time to get up." Tavia said.

I rolled my eye. Can't ya see that we're already up?

"Daylight's burnin'. They let you sleep in, all things considered."

Sarah looked around. "Where's my Dad?" she questioned. She's right, where IS Carlos?

"He's where the rest of you are goin'. To work." she replied harshly, causing me to frown. "Rebecca, Nick, Sarah, Jane, Tess... if you gotta take a piss, do it now. The next break won't be for a while. Troy'll be comin' back for the rest of you."

"Hold on, why just them?" I asked.

"Like I said... Troy's comin' for the rest of you." she replied before the she and the people she mentioned left with her. Once the door closed, the remainder of us turned back to the table.

"Alright, guys, look. If we're gonna do somethin', we have to do it NOW, and if Luke's all we got, then we pair up with him." Kenny said.

"I can do it. Where's the meeting place?" asked Mike.

"Mike."

"Yeah?"

"Clementine should do it."

Mike's eyes widened. "Are you f**kin' kidding?"

We all froze when something clattered outside the door. We watched as a guard passed by.

"No offense, but- come on, that's crazy, she's a kid, why would-"

"There's a million reasons." Kenny shot back.

I nodded. "She knows Luke, she can hide, and if she can get a pair of radios, then she can get to the meeting place!" I said.

"Who cares?! It's dangerous!"

"I'm sorry, Mike, but I don't know you from Adam, alright? And if I'm trustin' someone to do somethin' this important, I'm trustin' her." Kenny said.

"You don't trust me to get a radio to someone?" Mike asked.

Chase groaned. "For the love of- give ME the damn thing. I'll take it to him!"

"I'll take it." Clem said.

Looks like she's willing to do this...

Mike sighed. "Don't think doing this is gonna earn respect..."

Just then, the door opened back up and Troy stepped in. "Alright, little chickens... let's get to peckin'. And don't think today's gonna be like yesterday. No way. No shenanigans. This rooster's gonna be surveilling your ass every second of the day. Got it?"

When none of us responded, he frowned. "I'm afraid I need an answer, girl." he told Clem.

I rolled my eye. We heard you the first time.

Clem looked down. "Yessir..."

I frowned at Troy's back as he turned around. "Come on." he ordered. We started to follow him, but Kenny suddenly stepped in front of Clementine. "Oh, look at that, you have your pockets all out."

Raising an eyebrow, I turned around and noticed that Kenny had slipped the radio into one of Clem's pockets. Clem looked up at him and he winked.

I inwardly smiled. Good call, Kenny...

"Gonna get your tags snagged on somethin'. Wouldn't want that, now, would we?" he asked casually. Troy looked at him and frowned. Kenny noticed and shrugged. Troy sneered. "Let's go!" he snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, we're comin'..." I grumble, but he didn't notice. We followed him out the door and away from the yard.

He led us towards a door that led outiside to the 'expansion', when we heard someone call, "Hey. She's with me."

We paused and saw Bonnie walking towards us. "Ah, shit, I almost forgot." Troy said before he shoved Clem forward. "Well, take her then, I don't care."

"Hey!" Dylan snapped. "Don't treat her like that!"

Troy frowned. "What was that?!"

I frowned back. "You heard him."

I smirk as he glares at me.

"Wait, what's goin' on?" asked Kenny.

"Just chores of a different sort. Come on, city mouse." Bonnie said to Clementine before she started walking away.

"Can't you cut her a break?" Kenny asked. "She'd really rather keep with us... people she knows."

"It's nothing that'll hurt her." Bonnie assured him.

"What're we doing?" Clem asked. Bonnie smiled. "Don't worry about it." she told her before she started walking away with Clem. I saw her look over her shoulder and cast a glance towards me.

What...

"Hey, Troy."

We turn around and see Shel walking towards us. "Dylan and Anne are with me." she said.

Troy shoved the two of us forward. "Go on, take 'em."

"Hey! Easy!" I snapped.

What an asshole...

* * *

Shel led Dylan and I away from them.

"So what're we doin'?" I asked.

"I was checking to make sure you two were alright." Shel admitted. "Bonnie's doing the same thing right now with that girl."

"Her name's Clementine." I corrected.

Shel nodded. "I didn't believe you... when you told us about Reggie..."

"Well, Emily definitely didn't believe us." I muttered.

"Once you left, Bonnie and I went to find Bill. Thought that even if he had done it, he'd make up an excuse, but..."

Dylan rose an eyebrow. "But what?"

"Bill was so matter-of-fact about it... like he had pulled a weed out of the ground or something like that... Like it had to be done... I swear, the way he spoke about it... it gave me goosebumps."

I clenched my fists. "He did it just because Reggie failed to do something... it wasn't his fault!"

"That man murdered our friend Walter in cold blood..." Dylan growled.

"And he let Coleen get eaten alive just because she was scratched on the arm! Not to mention he almost put a bullet in my head!"

Shel shook her head. "Now I know why you and Tess ran away... Anyway, I guess he was never the person we thought he was..."

You're right about that...

"What about Emily? Did she ask him about it?" I inquired. She shook her head. "No, I don't think so..." She turned to me. "Listen, Anne, I'm gonna go talk to Becca. You and Dylan head out to the 'expansion'."

I nodded. "OK..."

And with that, Dylan and I headed back the way we came.

* * *

"What do you think she's gonna do?"

I rose an eyebrow at Dylan's question. "What do you mean?"

"What do you think Shel will do now that she knows what Carver really is?"

Hm... well, she is concerned about Becca...

"I think she might keep Becca closer to her now." I said.

Dylan looked at me. "Becca? Wasn't she the girl that pissed you off?"

I nod. "Yep. And that isn't the first time she's done that..."

We've butted heads before in the past... one time, she made a comment about my right eye. She went a little too far with the subject... I punched her in the face, almost gave her a black eye...

"She's learned not to mess with me." I say simply. He smirks. "I like the sound of that." he comments.

I then found myself looking at his face.

He has pretty eyes... whoa, what?! What did I just think?!

ACK! No! Bad Anne! BAD! Focus on the plan!

Dylan rose an eyebrow. "Something wrong?" he asked.

I look away to hide the light blush. "No."

As we head around a corner, I hear a voice call, "Hey!"

I mentally groan. What now?!

We stop walking and turn around to see Becca running towards us. "What is it, Becca? I'm really not in the mood." I sigh.

Becca crossed her arms. "I have to ask you something."

"We're in kinda a hurry here." I said calmly.

"Relax, I just need to ask you something, then you can go finish your date with your boyfriend." Becca said with a smirk.

Did she seriously just say that?!

"He's not my boyfriend!" I exclaimed blushing. She smirked. "Riiigghht..." she drawled out.

I rolled my eye. "Dylan, go on ahead. I'll catch up with ya in a little bit." I told him. Blushing lightly, he nodded. "O-OK. See ya." he tells me as he leaves. Once he is out of sight, I glare at a sniggering Becca. "What the hell was that?!" I snapped. She smirked and shrugged. "Well, you two do look kinda cute together." she said.

I blinked. Did she just make a compliment?

Shaking my head, I ask, "So whaddya want? Can't you see I have work to do?"

Becca scratches the back of her head. "I heard about Reggie... what happened? I heard you, Dylan, Sarah, and that other girl were there when it happened..."

I frown and cross my arms. "Carver pushed him off the roof... he killed him."

Becca gasped. "What?!"

I nod. "It's true. He pushed him right off the roof... just because he failed to do something right..."

Becca's eyes widened. "A-Are you sure he didn't do it on accident?"

"He grabbed Reggie and threw him straight off the roof. Just ask your sister, she asked Carver about it."

"Oh my god..." Becca turns from me. She looks like she's gonna be sick.

"Anne!"

OK, NOW who is it?! How many people wanna talk to me today?!

I sigh and turn around to Emily running towards me. She looks anxious to talk to me...

"C-Can I talk to you? It's important..." she told me.

Sighing, I looked at her. "Sure..."

"Come with me." she whispered as she started walking towards a row of shelves. As we leave, I can practically hear Becca smirking.

"Good luck with Dylan!"

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

Emily and I step behind a shelf. "OK, what is it?" I ask, exasperated. She looks around to make sure no one was looking before turning to me. "After you told us what happened to Reggie... I... I asked Dad about it just a little bit ago..."

"What did he say?"

"He... he said that Reggie had to be eliminated... he failed to do a simple task..." Emily told me. "That man I just talked to... he wasn't the man I knew before..."

He never was the man you thought he was...

I remained silent as she took a deep breath. "He... he told me Mom died sacrificing herself so you, Tess, and him could escape... but..."

I growled. That son of a bitch... he has the nerve to lie to her!

"But... Tess told me that wasn't true..." she continued. "She said that he let her die after getting scratched on the arm, but I didn't believe her." She paused, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before she opened them up and looked at me. "Anne... you were there... what happened? What REALLY happened?"

How am I gonna break this down to her?

I sighed. "Emily... your father lied to you about Coleen's death... she didn't sacrifice herself so we could escape... she was scratched on the arm... your father saw her as a threat and liability to the community... so instead of cutting her arm off, he dragged Tess and I away... and let her get eaten alive, using her to buy time to escape."

Emily gasped as tears brimmed in her eyes. "No... no..."

I gave her a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry, Emily... but it's true..."

Emily collapsed to her knees and began crying.

"Why... why, Daddy?!"

I felt a pang of guilt as I knelt down next to her. "Emily-"

She cut me off when she suddenly wrapped her arms around me, embracing me tightly.

I'm taken aback by the sudden contact, not expecting this, but I hug her back.

"I'm sorry, Emily..." I whisper.

We stay there for several minutes until she finally pulls away from me, her eyes red and puffy.

"T-thank you for telling me the truth..." she whispered before she stood up and started walking away. "Hey, you gonna be OK?" I call. She paused for a moment. "Yeah... I just need to be alone..." she said in a barely audible voice before she left.

I closed my eye and sighed as I stood up.

Poor Emily... to find out that her mother died because of her father, the man she trusted so much... I can't imagine what she's feeling right now...

I stand up, shove my hands in my pockets, and walk away.

* * *

I headed back to the door that led outside to the 'expansion' when I felt something crinkle beneath my feet.

Huh?

I freeze in my tracks and look down, seeing that I had stepped on an old piece of paper.

Huh, haven't seen any papers like this before...

I knelt down and picked it up to examine it.

The paper's torn and yellow from age. Looks like it came out of an old textbook.

Should I see what it says?

No, Anne! Focus! Focus on the plan... focus on the plan... focus on...

Ah, to hell with it.

Letting curiosity get the best of me, I look around to make sure no one is looking before I slip behind a shelf and unfold the paper.

_Diary,_

My eye widened. Diary?! Should I keep reading?

... damn curiosity...

_Diary,_

_It's me... I can't believe it... I've taken a test..._

_The results are positive._

Positive...? What...

_I thought it was wrong, but I took several more tests... they all say the same thing... positive..._

_I'm pregnant._

Someone here at the camp is pregnant?! Who?! Wait, is this Rebecca's?

_What am I gonna do?! Should I keep it? Should I abort it?_

_What will he think? What will he say?_

_... I'm not sure if it's even his..._

_I can't let Dad find out about this..._

_-T.L.C_

I stopped reading right there.

'Dad'? 'T.L.C'?

Who... wait, hold on...

T.L.C...

Tess Lisa Carver...

Holy shit...

This is a page from Tess's diary!

And... SHE'S PREGNANT?!

Realization hit me. It makes sense now! Now I know why she was throwing up constantly in the morning a few months ago! She had morning sickness! And she was wearing layered clothing... Why didn't I see it sooner?!

I quickly folded the paper back up and shoved it into my pocket.

I need to talk to Tess...

* * *

I poke my head out from behind the shelf to make sure no one's looking before I dart out and head towards the tool compartment, where Tess was sent to work.

Slowing my pace down to not draw suspicion, I reach the tool compartment. Taking a deep breath, I open the door and step inside.

I see her frantically searching around the room.

"Come on... where is it?! I can't let him find it!" she said to herself.

I decided to make my presence known. "Hey, Tess."

She yelped and turned to face me. "Oh, hey Anne!" she greeted with a nervous smile.

I cross my arms. "Looking for something?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"You were looking around for something just a second ago. It must be very important."

"It was just a, uh... hammer! I need to get it over to the guys outside." she says quickly.

She's really desperate here...

"Tess... nice try. I know you're lying. This thing you're looking for... it wouldn't happen to be a piece of paper, would it?"

She shook her head quickly, the color draining from her face. "No! What would I want with a dumb piece of paper?"

I sigh, reach into my pocket, and pull out the paper. She gasps when she sees it. I give her a look. "Tess... I found this on the floor on my way to the 'expansion'. I know..."

She looks around nervously before she rushes up to me and pulls me over into a closet filled with supplies. Tess then shut the door and looked at me. "You... you read it...?" she asked me. I sighed and looked away in shame. "Yes... I didn't know it was from your diary until I finished reading it... I'm sorry, Tess..."

"Anne..." she sighed. I looked back at her. "I was reckless... I carried that thing around with me yesterday... it's my fault... not yours..."

"How... how far along are you?" I asked.

She was silent for a moment before she said, "Six months..."

WHAT?! SIX MONTHS?!

I gasp. "Six months?! Tess... why didn't you...?"

She started unzipping her jacket, revealing another jacket, then a vest, and when she unzipped it, I could see her swollen stomach sticking out. Whoa...

"I... I don't know..."

Is it because she...

"You didn't trust me?" I asked.

She gasped. "Nononono! Anne, of course I trust you!"

I frown and cross my arms. "Then why didn't you tell me about this earlier?! Tess, I'm your friend... you can talk to me."

She buries her face in her hands. "I don't know! I was afraid of... what the group would think..."

Really?

"We already have Rebecca and her baby to worry about... I don't wanna have them worry about me, too... I don't wanna stress them out even more." she explained. She then sniffled. "And Nick... I don't know what he'd think... I don't even know if it's his..."

Oh my god...

She suddenly hugged me, letting a few tears slip. "What are we gonna do, Anne? What am I gonna do?"

I hug her back, careful of her baby bump. "I don't know, Tess... I just don't know..."


	18. We're Leaving Tonight

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

We stand there in the closet for several minutes, but it feels like hours to me.

Finally, Tess sniffles and pulls away from me.

"W-We were drunk..."

I rose an eyebrow. What...?

She sat down on a box and I sat down next to her.

"We were drunk when it happened... we just had a few beers... then a few more... I don't remember much, but I know that we went to a tent and we... did IT."

Oh...

"We didn't use protection... I woke up with a massive hangover... we were in bed with our clothes off... we were horrified by what we had done..."

She took a deep breath before she continued. "He said it was his fault it happened, but I told him it was mine since I insisted on having more drinks... I was stupid... when the symptoms started showing up, he asked me about it and got me a pregnancy test. I took the test... and the results were positive. I broke down right there..."

She looked down. "I did it with Nick once, but that was before that night with Luke..."

My eye widened. Oh my God... she slept with Luke?! But she's Nick's girlfriend!

She buried her face in her hands. "I-I didn't mean to! I didn't mean for that to happen, and neither did he! I didn't cheat on him, I swear!" she told me. "I thought about aborting it... but I couldn't do it... I didn't want to take its life... I don't know what I'm gonna tell Nick... I don't know if it's even his..."

Tess...

I placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me. "W-What...?"

"You're gonna have to tell the group about this... you can't hide it forever, you know." I told her.

She shook her head. "But what about Nick?! What would he say? What would he think?"

"Well... I don't know... but, he loves you, Tess... he can't stay mad at you forever. You were drunk. I'm pretty sure he'll understand... I hope..." I said, trying to comfort her. After a moment, she gives me a small smile and hugs me.

"Thank you, Anne..."

I smile back and hugged her back. She was there for me when I broke down, so I'm here for her...

"Your secret's safe with me, don't worry." I assured her.

She sighed, pullled away, and looked down at her stomach. "I guess I can't hide this forever... I'm gonna have to tell them sometime..."

We're both silent for a moment. I decide to break the silence. "So... do you know the gender?"

She shook her head. "No. I wish we still had those ultrasounds." she admitted.

"What do you think it's gonna be?" I asked.

She smiled lightly. "I have a hunch that it'll be a boy." she says.

Her eyes widened for a moment before she smiled. "He's kicking... you wanna feel?"

My eye widened. "Sure..." I replied slowly as I placed a hand on her stomach. A moment later, I felt a kick.

Whoa...

Tess chuckled. "He's gonna be a runner... Rebecca's baby's gonna have a playmate."

"Have you come up with any names yet?" I asked. "No, not yet." Tess admitted. "We should probably get out before anyone gets suspicious."

I nod. I almost forgot, we still have to get that radio to Luke.

She stood up and zipped up her vest and jacket, hiding the baby bump. She looks at me. "Come on." she said. I nodded, stood up, and we walked out of the closet. Good, no one else is here...

"So, I heard Dylan talk to you last night." she said with a smirk.

I stiffened. She heard that?!

"Yeah... why?" I hesitated.

"He was pretty worried about you."

I frowned. "Of course he was! Now let's go..."

She snickers as we head towards the door. "Sounds like he has a little crush on you..."

I frown again. Now I know how she felt when I teased her about Nick...

"Shut up."

* * *

The two of us stepped out of the tool compartment. We looked around to make sure no one was looking before we started walking towards the door that led outside. "So, Clem's gonna get the radio to Luke?" Tess whispered. "Hopefully," I replied.

We then reach the door and step outside. We crouch behind a stack of crates. I see Troy leaning against the wall.

"Y'all better hurry that shit up. I hate babysitting you assholes..." I heard him grumble.

"Anne, get to the meeting place and check on Luke and Clem. It's the old comic book store right there," she whispered as she gestured to an abandoned store near Troy. "I'll make sure he doesn't see you." she told me before she stepped out and headed over to the 'expansion'. When he was scowling at her, I hustled over to the abandoned comic book store and slip inside.

I hear a gasp as I enter. I turn around and see Clementine standing there, tensed. "Relax, Clem, it's only me," I said in a hushed tone. She sighed in relief. "You scared me, Anne!" she whispered.

"Sorry." I apologize, keeping my voice low. I look around, seeing no sign of Luke. Where is he?

"Where's Luke?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. He should be here!"

The two of us take a look around the store. Clem notices a blood stain on the ground. "That looks really old... he's probably fine..." she muttered.

He better be...

I take a quick look around. "Luke! Where are you?! It's us!" I hiss.

No response.

Clem and I exchange a look. "We've gotta tell the others about this..." I tell her. She nods and we step out of the store.

"HEY!"

Oh boy...

We probably shouldn't have done that...

Troy sneers at us. "You ain't supposed to be out here!" he snarls as he grabs Clem by the collar of her jacket and he roughly grabs my arm.

He drags us over to Kenny, Mike, Chase, and Tess. "You people have been here for nearly two fucking days and you're already fucking up! Well, you wait and see what happens." he growled as he shoved us to them. I nearly fall, but Tess catches me and helps me up. "MOVE!"

"Hey!" Kenny snapped as Troy shoved Clementine towards him.

"You asshole! She's a kid!" Tess snapped. Troy glared at her. "You think I give a shit?!"

"You bastard!" Chase exclaimed. Troy shoved him back.

"Get moving!"

He points his assault rifle at us and forces the six of us to walk through the door.

* * *

Troy makes us head back to the yard, where the rest of the group is gathered there. Carver is there also, pacing around angrily.

"Get over there!" Troy orders as he forces us to keep moving. I see Carlos kneeling down next to someone. Brown hair... orange shirt...

Oh my God...

It's LUKE!

And if he's here... then the whole plan failed!

"-and how is it that we're repaid for our trust? With treachery...? With deceit...? With theft!" Carver growls as he glares at the rest of the group.

"Shit... they caught him..." I muttered.

"Yeah, that's what it looks like..." Kenny said.

Carver then frowned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the other radio. My eye widened as he smirked victoriously. "Whatever you were all planning, it's done. You can't just run from your problems. You can't just up and leave when it gets tough... cause there's nowhere else you can go where it ain't. Tough is all we've got now. Get that through your fucking skulls."

He then steps up to Tess and I.

"And you especially don't run away from family." he directed at Tess.

"Fuck you!" Tess spat.

"Now, is that any way to speak to your father like that, Tessie?" Carver asked with a smirk. Tess spat in his face.

Carver doesn't flinch at all as he wipes the saliva off his face. He then turns to me. "And Anne... you don't run away just because of something that had to be done."

I snarled. "There was a chance for Coleen! And you never gave it to her!"

Carver shook his head. "She was a liability to the community. She had to be eliminated... just like Reggie. He was weak. His incompetence would not be tolerated anymore. He tried my patience too many times, and he paid the price."

THAT'S IT!

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" I scream as I rush forward, but he slaps me across the face.

I gasped at the stinging pain as I stumbled back.

Man, he hits hard!

"ANNE!" Tess exclaimed as she and Dylan ran to my side. I regained my footing. "I-I'm okay..." I muttered as I held my face.

Ow... damn it...

"Is that any way to repay the man that kept you safe for so long?" Carver asked me smugly. "You can't run from your problems. Not anymore."

I glared at him as I held my face. SAFE?! You haven't been keeping us safe! You're torturing us!

"Now pipe down, or else the next one will be harder." he warns before he turns back to the group. "Luke here, he can't help you now... you gotta help yourselves... you have to help me find the strength to forgive you."

I scoffed. You're one to talk about forgiveness...

"Now you can start... by telling me where the other radio is. I'm gonna count to three... if that radio ain't in my hand by then... we'll have to make things more difficult."

We all remained silent as he began to count.

"One..."

We can't let him have the other radio!

"Two..."

We tensed as he paused. "Maybe you've lost-" Clem began, but Kenny cut her off by reaching into her pocket, stepping in front of her, and waving the radio above his head.

"It's right here! I've got it!"

KENNY?!

Carver frowned and held his hand out expectantly. Kenny stepped forward and gave Sarita a comforting glance. "It's alright." he whispered as he walked up to Carver. "Sorry about that. Not sure what I was thinking."

As soon as the radio landed in Carver's hand, he frowned. "Three."

My eye widened.

You bastard...

"... heh. Fucker." Kenny growled. Carver suddenly hit Kenny in the face with the radio, knocking him to the ground.

"NO!" Sarita cried.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Chase exclaimed.

Carver then started to beat Kenny, drawing blood from each hit. Oh God...

"Stop him! Somebody stop him!" Sarita pleaded as she rushed forward, but Carlos held her back.

"Troy! Do something!" Mike exclaimed, but the guard simply stood there and watched.

Rebecca hugged Sarah, trying to comfort her, despite what was happening right now.

"Stop! Clementine, help me!" Carlos exclaimed as he struggled to hold Sarita back. Clementine rushed forward and helped him restrain Sarita.

"You don't have to do this Bill!" Nick exclaimed.

Suddenly, Emily stepped in. "Hey, what's going-" she began, but cut herself off when she saw Carver beating Kenny. She gasped. "KENNY! DAD, STOP! YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM! PLEASE, STOP! DAD!"

Carver ignored her and continued to beat him. My rage has reached its peak...

This is just like the times I've gotten beat up...

And there is no way in hell... THAT I'M GONNA LET THAT HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE!

I rush forward to help Kenny, but I suddenly feel some thing hard hit my face.

"AGH!"

"ANNE!"

Troy had hit me with the butt of his assault rifle, sending me towards the ground.

"You little shit!" he swore as I used one arm to push myself off the ground, hissing in pain.

Ugh... that hurt worse than the slap I just got!

I lifted my head up, my vision hazy.

Emily gasped. "TROY, WHAT THE FUCK?!" she exclaimed. Dylan roared in anger. "You son of a bitch!" he screamed as he rushed forward and punched Troy in the face. The man responded by punching him back, sending Dylan hurtling towards the ground. Tess rushes over to my side as I sit up with a hand placed over the spot where Troy hit me.

"Oh God, Anne!" Tess gasped as she knelt down to my side and gently placed a hand on my shoulder. Dylan pushed himself up and came to my side also. "A-Anne... y-you alright?" he asked me, wincing as he spoke.

"Bill!"

I weakly look up, seeing Bonnie and Shel stepping into the yard with shocked looks. "That's enough, Bill! Please!" Bonnie gasped out.

"Bill, there's been a breach!" Shel said. Carver hits Kenny one more time before he lets go of him and lets him fall to the ground, bruised and bloodied.

"Alright. Everyone come with me. Bonnie, Shel, you stick around. Make sure these folks don't get into any more trouble." Carver ordered as he dropped the bloodied radio and started walking out with Troy and Tavia.

"Yeah... okay." Bonnie muttered as she looked down at Kenny with shock evident on her face.

Carver looked over his shoulder. "No supper for y'all tonight. Maybe an empty stomach'll give you some perspective. We'll try this again tomorrow. C'mon, Emily." he said to her, but she didn't move.

"No, Dad."

Carver frowned. "Emily, come with me." he ordered, a little more forcefully. "That's an order. You don't belong with these folks."

She shook her head, refusing to move. "I'm staying here."

Carver shook his head in annoyance. "Fine. Be that way! You'll go without supper too, then." he snaps as he, Troy, and Tavia leave. Bonnie knelt down to check on Kenny and I. She then looked at Carlos, who was checking on Kenny with Sarita. "Do your best with him, Carlos. You need to get him able to move, cause we're leaving tonight."

What...?

We all look at Bonnie and Shel with surprised looks.

Did she just say what I think she said...?

Bonnie looks at us with a determined expression and nods.

"We're leaving tonight."


	19. Lambs to the Slaughter

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I wince a little as Shel places an icepack on my cheek where I got hit.

Ah... it stings... it stings!

"I can't feel half of my face..." I murmered.

"He got you pretty good..." Shel muttered before she stood up. I held the icepack to my cheek as Shel looked at Bonnie.

"Bonnie, I'll go tell Becca about this. She needs to be ready to leave with us. I'll try to get some supplies while I'm at it." she said. Bonnie nodded and Shel left the yard. I look around the yard. Sarita is sobbing into her hands as Rebecca comforts her, Nick is standing by the bunk beds biting his thumb nervously, Sarah is with Clementine, probably worrying about Kenny, Mike is by the campfire in one of the chairs, and Jane is by the fence with her arms crossed.

Standing up, I head over to the bunk beds where Tess is. She is sitting with Emily hugging her. She must be comforting her about what Carver had done...

"Hey..." I greeted as I walked up to them. Tess looked up and saw me. "Hey Anne..."

Emily looked up at me. "Sorry I didn't believe you eariler... about what my father had done to Reggie..."

I shook my head. "No, it's OK... you don't have to apologize..."

"I just... why would he do something like that?"

Tess frowns. "It's his way of earning respect... using violence to get what he wants..."

I then pull the icepack away from my cheek. "So... how bad is it?" I ask.

I see Tess cringe slightly. Yep, it must be bad...

"You've got a nasty bruise right there..." she told me. I looked into a mirror near the bunk beds and wince at what I see. A bruise the size of a baseball is on my cheek. Haven't gotten a bruise like this in a LONG time...

"I'm leaving with you guys." Emily suddenly said.

Tess and I looked at her with surprise as she continued to speak. "I don't wanna stay here... not after what Dad's done... he nearly killed the man I saw as a father... he hit Anne... he killed Reggie... he killed that man... and he let Mom die... I'm not staying here with him."

Tess placed a hand on her shoulder. "You've made the right choice." she told her. Emily smiled weakly. "I know..."

My gaze wandered over to Carlos, who was by the gate looking at Kenny, who was lying on a mattress.

"So... how do you know Kenny?" I asked.

Emily sighed. "I was in the last group he was in with Clementine. When Clem got kidnapped, he got seperated from us. Lee, Christa, Omid, and I kept going, but we got seperated from Lee. After he died, the three of us helped look after Clementine. I got seperated from Clem and Christa after we were attacked by walkers. I'm just glad I found her and Kenny again..."

I nodded.

"I better go check and see how Kenny's doing..." I muttered.

Emily nodded. "Yeah... do that, please."

I nodded and walked over to Carlos. The Hispanic man doesn't notice me as he works on patching Kenny up.

"Hey, Carlos..."

He looked over his shoulder and saw me. "Hey, Anne..." he greeted. "So... how is he?" I asked.

His expression was grim. "He's unconscious... he took quite a beating..." he answered.

My gaze fell on the unconcious man and I gasped. His face was bloody and swollen. It was badly bruised, and his eye... oh god, his eye... it was swollen shut, the skin around it is puffy... I don't think he'll be able to use that eye anymore...

"I'm trying to get the swelling down, Anne. Let's just hope that Carver didn't do any damage to his brain..." Carlos said.

I nodded, my gaze glued on Kenny.

"Could you... could you please leave me?" the Hispanic man requested. "I need to concentrate."

I nod and leave him be.

Kenny... he really cares for Clem... I hope he'll be OK...

I then head over to Dylan, who is talking with Chase.

"... and I thought your face couldn't get any uglier." I heard Chase joke.

"Screw you, man." Dylan retorted.

I found myself smiling. Dylan's face isn't ugly at all... in fact, it's kinda handso- wait, WHAT?!

Shaking my head and mentally smacking myself for thinking that, I walk up to them, gaining their attention. "Hey Dylan, Chase."

Dylan turned to me and smiled. "Hey..."

I cringe when I see the bruise that had formed on his cheek. It's not as bad as mine, but still...

"You OK?" I ask.

Dylan shrugs. "Don't worry about me. It doesn't hurt. What about you?"

I pull away the icepack to show them my bruise. Chase cringes. "Damn, that looks pretty bad..."

I wave it off. "It doesn't hurt that much now... haven't been hit like that in forever..." I murmered.

Dylan had a look of sympathy. "Anne-"

I cut him off. "Dylan, I'm fine. It wasn't your fault you had to leave."

His expression lifted slightly. "I'm just glad you're alright..."

I looked into his blue and hazel eyes and smile. "Me too..."

We stare at each other for a moment. Wow... he has a cute smile...

Chase then ruins the moment.

"Anne and Dylan sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage!" Chase sings with a grin. I tear my eyes away from Dylan and we both glare at him, blushing slightly.

"SHUT UP, CHASE!" we exclaim in unison.

Chase smirks and holds his hands up in slight surrender. "Okay, Okay, I'll leave you two alone..." he says with a grin as he walks away. We glare at his back before turning back to each other.

"I-"

"Sorry about-"

We stop ourselves, surprised, before we chuckle.

"Sorry about Chase... he likes to taunt me when stuff like that happens..."

I chuckle softly. "Yeah, I can imagine..."

I look up into his differenly colored eyes... that are just like mine...

Before I can stop myself, I suddenly lean up and give him a kiss on the cheek. He stiffens and blushes as my lips make contact with his cheek. "Thanks for, um... what you did earlier..." I muttered.

I then quickly walk away from the still-frozen Dylan and to the bunk beds, blushing deeply.

I then mentally smack myself. Stupid Anne! STUPID!

I can't believe I just did that...

* * *

Night has fallen upon the camp. We are all gathered by the campfire. I sit in a chair looking down at my guitar, which rested in my lap. I want to play a tune on it, but now's not the time...

I look up and gaze at my surroundings. Rebecca is sitting next to Sarita, comforting the woman as she sobs for her lover. Tess is sitting with Nick, who holds her hand comfortingly. Emily is sitting with Sarah and Clementine as she taps her foot nervously. I can tell she's worried for Kenny as much as Clem and Sarita are...

Jane is sitting in of the chairs near them. Dylan is by the campfire with his arms crossed. I see Luke, Mike, and Chase by the door talking to Bonnie and Shel, who are on the other side.

Mike, Luke, and Chase then come back to the campfire and sit down.

"What'd they say?" Rebecca asked.

"They said that they can get us outta the pen if we get the PA system working. Shel said she told her sister about it and she managed to grab us some supplies. She said that Becca wasn't too thrilled with the plan, but agreed with it. The second that the three of them hear it, they'll run over and spring us." Mike explained.

Rebecca smiled lightly. "That's great."

Luke shook his head. "It's not great." he butted in.

"Luke, what're you talking about?" Tess asked.

Luke sighed. "Look, I know part of this is my fault... I was hungry, I got reckless tryin' to steal some food and I got caught."

Well, that explains how he got busted...

"We can't stay here!" Clem shook her head.

I nodded. "Look at what he's done to Kenny! We could be next!" I hiss.

"Look, I hear what y'all are saying, but it's risky."

Risky? Staying here for another night is risky!

Nick nodded. "It is pretty damn risky, guys." he agreed.

Tess shook her head. "Risky? Did you see what my bastard of a father just did?!" she asked. "Look, this plan works. Nothing needs to change. It's all set up. The hard part is done. This guy's fucking crazy. Who knows what he'll do next." Mike agreed.

"He might aim at one of us next, or worse, put a bullet in our heads..." I muttered, remembering that moment back at the lodge.

"Yeah, but now we're dealin' with a guy beat to shit. Sarita's in no shape to do anything, Anne got slapped, Dylan almost got knocked out, and I'm a goddamn mess." Luke says. I look at him. He's right, he IS a mess. He's got a couple of bruises and he looks like he hasn't slept in a while...

"Look, we should rest up, OK? We should bide our time, and we should wait for an opening." Luke insisted.

"Bonnie and Shel's agreeing to help us tonight." Mike pointed out.

"And that doesn't mean she can't do it some OTHER night."

Is he seriously saying this?!

Nick sighed. "I don't know, guys... Luke's makin' sense. Maybe we should wait," Nick shrugged.

Tess frowned. "Nick, we're NOT waiting." she insisted.

"Ain't nothin' out there, guys. Trust me, I've looked. There's no food, no supplies... they've picked everything clean. I'm just sayin' that we gotta be sensible about this." Luke explained.

"But Luke, this IS being sensible!" Tess shot back.

"Wait, where's Kenny?" Clem suddenly asked. I looked at her. "Carlos is takin' a look at him. Trust me, it doesn't look pretty." I told her grimly.

Carlos then walked over to us. I stood up. "Well? How is he?" are the first words that come out of my mouth.

Carlos's expression is grim. "His orbital is crushed... I don't think that there's much hope for the eye. I got him as stable as I could, cleaned the wound, managed to get some of the swelling down, and bandaged it the best I could. But until he wakes up... we won't know if there's any damage to the brain."

Sarita sobbed again.

"Shit..." I muttered, shaking my head.

"OK, look... maybe I'm playing devil's advocate here, but if...damn it, if you're all serious about leavin' tonight... then we're gonna have to start talkin' about... maybe leaving some folks behind." Luke sighed.

WHAT?!

"NO!" Sarita exclaimed.

"There is no other way."

"What do you mean 'no other way'?!" Emily exclaimed

"This is bullshit." Rebecca snapped.

"Well, I don't like it either, but guess what? It's where we're at." Luke said.

"Are you serious?!" Chase asked.

Sarita looked at him. "Kenny, Chase, Dylan, and I are only here because of you people, and now you intend to leave us behind."

"So we should risk all of our lives?" Carlos inquired.

Rebecca frowned up at him. "What're you saying?"

Carlos shook his head. "Nothing... I-I'm just thinking out loud here..."

I growled. This is total bullshit!

"No! We're not leaving Kenny!" Clementine exclaimed. Emily nodded. "That man is like a father to me! There's no way in hell I'm leaving him here!"

"That's not fair! We stay together!" Clem added.

Luke sighed. "Life ain't fair, Clem..."

"So what?!" I snapped. "We all stick together, just like Clementine said! He's part of the group! We ain't leaving him!"

"Good... cause you won't have to."

Huh?

We turn around and I gasp.

It's Kenny! He's awake!

Kenny limps towards us. He has a couple bruises on his face and the swelling has gone down. His damaged eye is covered by a bloody bandage.

We all stand up as Sarita hugs Kenny, who hugs her back. "I'm alright, Hon." he told her as she pulled away. "We leave tonight. Plan don't change."

Nick smiled. "Not bad, old man."

Kenny smirked. "Thanks, asshole."

Tess lightly hits Nick's shoulder, smiling slightly.

I smirk as I place a hand on my hip. "You, sir, are one tough bastard." I remark.

"Do tough bastards get their ass kicked in front of everybody?" Kenny chuckled.

I smile lightly. Nothing stops this guy...

Clem then walked up to him. Kenny looked down at her. "You alright? That wasn't your fault, OK?"

Clementine didn't respond. Instead, she rushed forward and hugged Kenny. The bearded man hugged her back gently. "It's alright..."

Emily stepped up to him and smiled with relief. "Kenny..." was all she said before she joined the hug. "It's OK, Em." he told her.

When they pulled away, Luke decided to speak up. "Alright. Well then, what now?"

"We get the hell outta here." Kenny answered.

"Like now, now?"

"Yes." Rebecca nods.

"So where we goin'? In case things get squirrely and we gotta make a break for it, we need a place to meet up." Kenny pointed out.

"We could meet up at Parker's Run." Mike suggested.

I rose an eyebrow. Parker's Run? Never heard of it.

"The hell is that?" Kenny asked.

"It's a Civil War sight a few miles north of here. Tourist trap. Got signs all over them. Just follow the road." Mike explained.

Chase smirked. "Ooh, Civil War, huh? I remember how I used to read about that all the time." he remininced.

Dylan chuckled. "And I remember how you wouldn't shut up 'bout it as we traveled."

"We stopped there once after we escaped the first time. Luke and Carlos know where it is." Rebecca said. "It's not that far from here."

Don't remember seeing a place like that when Tess and I left...

"Tess and I must have taken a different route, cause I don't remember passing by a place like that..." I brought up.

"Don't worry, we'll show ya where it's at." Luke assured me.

"Well, at least if a few folks know where it's at, it'll be easier to find if we're split up. That works for me." Kenny said.

"OK, then. We just need someone to go and set off that PA system, right? I mean, y'all never bothered to explain who's supposed to do that." Luke pointed out. Ah, man... he's right.

Our gazes slowly wander over to Clementine. Luke noticed our gaze on her.

"Wait, hold on... SHE'S the plan?" he asked incredulously.

Clem sighed. "Why is it always me?"

Poor Clem... having to be the one to do all the hard stuff...

I walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tell ya what, Clem. I'll go with ya."

Clem seems surprised by this. I smirk at her expression. "You heard me." I confirmed.

"What?" Tess gasped. "Anne, it's too dangerous!"

"I'll be fine, Tess. I was able to sneak out of here before with her and I can do it again." I say.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Dylan asked me. I turned to him. "Yes, Dylan. I'm not gonna let her do this alone." I insisted. He smiled. "You be careful, then." he advised.

I smile back. "Of course."

I then head over to Tess and hand her my guitar. "Hold onto this for me until we get out, will ya?" I ask. She nods. "Sure." she says as she takes it. "Don't let anything happen to it or I'll kick your ass." I joke. Tess chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Don't worry, I'll make sure it's alright." she assures me as she slings my guitar over her shoulder.

We then head over to the winch. As Clementine pulls the rope down, Dylan walks up to me.

"Hey, Anne?"

"Hm?" I ask as I turn around. He suddenly plants a kiss on my cheek, much to my surprise. I see Emily's eyes widen, as well as Nick, Luke, Jane, and Rebecca's. Clementine is trying to hold back a smile. Sarah is quietly giggling at the scene. Tess has a big grin on her face as Chase smirks.

My mind went blank as his lips made contact with my cheek.

"That's for good luck." he said after pulling away.

Dylan kissed me on the cheek...

He k-kissed me...

He...

Slowly, a wide smile crept up on my face as I stood there like an idiot, blushing deeply.

A hand suddenly waves in front of my face.

"Yoo-hoo! Earth to Anne!" Tess called.

I snapped out of it, still blushing.

"Um, let's go..." I muttered as I quickly turn around and grab the rope with Clementine. I hear Tess quietly snickering behind my back. Note to self; kick Tess's ass later...

As Mike begins to pull us up, Rebecca began giving us instructions. "Be sure to remember to flip the switch for the speakers outside. Just the indoor speakers might not draw the herd. It's right on the microphone box."

I nod. "Got it."

"By default, it's set to play music, so you should just have to turn it on, right? Then climb back up and drop into the stockroom through one of the skylights. We'll meet you in there." Rebecca said.

"Down into the office, outdoor speaker switch, turn on the PA, up to the roof, down into the stockroom to meet you guys. That right?" Clem asks.

Well, that's a simple version of what Rebecca just said...

Rebecca smiles. "Perfect."

Mike then begins pulling us up.

"Be careful!" Sarita whispers.

Clem nods. "Okay."

"Watch your back." Dylan advises.

I nod. "I will."

"Clem, Anne! Make sure you bring Alvin with you." Rebecca requests.

Aw, shit, I almost forgot about Alvin! I hope he's okay...

* * *

We reach the roof. Clem climbs onto the roof first, then I follow.

Good, there's no guards around here this time...

Without hesitation, we hustle over to the skylight leading to Carver's office. I quietly open the door and we slip inside, landing on top of a set of lockers.

I look around and sigh with relief. Carver's not here. Thank god...

Out of the corner of my eye, I see something in the corner of the room by a light slumped over in a chair.

I gasp.

Oh God... it's ALVIN!

"Oh my god, Alvin!" I gasped out as Clem and I rushed over to him. He's beaten, bruised... Not to mention unconscious... His glasses are missing and his clothes are stained with his own blood. This must be why Carver wanted to see him... to beat him half to death... like what he almost did to Kenny...

"Clem, what happened to him?!" I asked, turning to the younger girl. "Carver told me that he beat him when he talked to me in his office..." she explained. My eye widened as she told me this.

I slowly put a hand on his shoulder and shake it. "Alvin... Alvin! Come on, wake up!"

He doesn't respond. Carver really did a number on him...

What am I gonna tell Rebecca?!

The two of us then head over to Carver's desk. I see the PA system behind it.

"Jackpot!" I whispered as we reach it. I see a bunch of buttons on the system. Ah man, which one's for the outdoor speakers?!

I see a label saying 'external speakers'. That must be it! I push the button above the label and I hear the PA turn on.

"OK... now the mic..." Clem muttered.

She turned the volume knob up, but we heard nothing. What...?

"What the? Why isn't it working?" I asked. My eye wanders over to the CD receiver. I quickly turn it on, but nothing happens.

I shake my head. "No. No, no, no... damn it, no!"

I quickly open it, finding no CD in it.

Where is it?!

I frantically looked around. Come on, we're so close to escaping! We need this!

Clem quickly hands me a CD. "Here!" she said.

I sighed with relief and inserted into the player and pressed play.

"Come on, work... please work..." I begged.

Clementine turned up the volume up to MAX and I heard a female voice begin talking in the recording.

_"This fourth of July, make sure your backyard barbecue is complete with products to meet all your grilling needs..."_

Yes!

We look out the window to see Bonnie, Shel, and Becca running towards the gate, ready to let the others out of the pen. I see Shel carrying a bag, probably filled with the supplies she managed to grab.

Now we just gotta get to the stockroom!

I then hear rustling behind me. Quickly, I turn around to see Alvin rummaging through Carver's desk.

"Alvin! Oh, thank god! Are you okay?" I asked. He ignored my question and pulled out Carver's gun, the very same gun that Carver almost killed me with. Alvin sat down in the chair and coughed. "Carver talks all that tough guy shit... then he carries the tiniest gun in the universe around with him. Somethin' funny about that..." he joked weakly. I looked out the window again to see Carver, Tavia, and a few other guards splitting up carrying guns. We better hurry...

I turned back to Alvin. "Come on! We have to go!"

He shook his head. "I ain't goin' anywhere... but you two are."

"What?!" I asked.

"Go on... I'm been meaning to get some payback." he told us.

"No! We're leaving! We're all leaving together!" Clementine exclaimed, shaking her head with denial.

Alvin shook his head. "I ain't fit to move, Clem. I've run outta road..."

He's seriously staying behind?! But... what about Rebecca and the baby?!

I suddenly heard someone outside the office door.

"No, I-I'll just go up there and shut that thing off!" I heard a man yell. He turned back to us. "You two gotta get outta here. They'll be in here any second." Alvin warned.

"T-Thank you..." Clem thanked sadly as she started running back to the skylight.

"Alvin..." I began, feeling a tear come to my eye.

"Go... it'll be okay... tell Bec that I'm sorry I couldn't make it..."

I nod sadly at my friend's request. "I-I will..." I told him before darting over to Clem. We began climbing up the set of lockers.

"You take care of my girls..." Alvin coughed. "I got a feelin' that it's gonna be a girl... just a hunch..."

Clem nodded and smiled sadly. "I think it's gonna be a girl, too..." I agreed.

He coughed. "Go on... go... it's gonna be okay..."

Just as we reached the skylight, I saw a guard run in. It's Hank, the guard from the roof. He shoots Alvin in the stomach.

NO!

Alvin jerks back from the bullet, but weakly lifted the gun, aimed it at Hank, and shot him in the chest. As Hank collapsed to the floor, Alvin's head lolls to the side, the light leaving his eyes.

I silently gasped as I watched my friend die.

Alvin... no...

I shut my eye tightly, mourning for him before we climb out of the office and back onto the roof.

As we rush over to the skylight leading into the stockroom, I see the walkers start coming towards the parking lot. Shit, we've gotta hurry...

Tavia runs out of the door leading downstairs, but luckily, she doesn't see us as we rush to the skylight behind the greenhouse. I open the door for Clem and we slip inside.

* * *

As we landed on a box, my gaze wandered over to the floor and I gasp. Bonnie, Shel, Becca, and the group are being held up by Carver! He's carrying an assault rifle as he forces them to drop their weapons and begins a speech.

"You all wanna disrespect me, fine. You wanna throw away the life... that I've been tryin' to build for us all, then fuckin' fine!"

What life?

We slowly climb down the box and start climbing across the shelves as Carver glares at them.

"You wanna run off with this dogshit crew of crippled fucks, then fine! Be my guest!"

I see Luke and Dylan noticing us. I quickly held a finger to my lips, signaling them to be quiet as Clem and I climbed closer to Carver.

"But I will put a bullet in you and that baby before I let you leave again with my child!" Carver growled as he pointed the assault rifle at them. Rebecca shook her head. "It's not yours!" she insisted.

Carver frowned. "Well, it's mine now!"

He then turned to Emily. "And Emmy... I expected better of you!" he snapped. Emily shook her head.

"How could you, Dad?! You could have saved Mom! But instead, you let her get eaten alive!"

Just a little closer...

"She was a danger to us all! She was infected!" Carver snapped. "And now... you're all gonna end up just like Coleen."

I felt anger in me rise at that comment. That son of a bitch...!

"Fuck you, Dad!" Tess exclaimed. Her expression was filled with rage at the mention of her dead mother.

Carver frowned. "Now you watch what you say to me, young lady, or I will not hesitate to-!"

NOW!

Snarling, I jump off the shelf with Clem and we land on top of him, making him grunt in surprise.

I land on the floor, regain my footing, and punch Carver in the face as Luke yanks the assault rifle out of his hands. I then punch Carver in the face.

"That was for Walter." I growled as I punched him again. "That one was for Alvin!"

I then remember my one-armed friend as I punched him in the stomach, making him double over. "That was for Reggie!"

Finally, I reel my fist back and punch him square in the face again. "And that... was for Coleen."

Panting slightly, I back away as Tess looks at me with surprise. "Anne..."

That felt good...

Luke then pointed the gun at Carver. "Get back!" he yelled.

As Carver holds his hands up in surrender, the group picks up their weapons. Tess handed me my guitar and I take it without a word, slinging it onto my back. "Come on, Luke, this ain't none of your business." Carver smirks.

"Clem, Anne... where... why isn't Alvin with you? Where is he?" Rebecca asked, looking around for her husband. Alvin...

I look at her sadly and shake my head. "I'm sorry, Rebecca..."

Her eyes widened before she shut them, grieving for her husband. "Alvin...!"

Luke gasped. "Rebecca... oh god, I am so sorry-" he tried to comfort her, but Rebecca opened her eyes and glared at Carver hatefully. "Kill him."

Carver kept that same stupid smirk on his face as he looked at the pregnant woman. "Rebecca, Rebecca, sweetheart, my god... how did we get here, you and me. This is just a bit of a custody battle we got on our hands here."

I clench my fists as I glare at him.

He has no right to call Rebecca that!

"Shoot him." Rebecca ordered.

"Just shoot the bastard now." I agreed. Luke's eyes widened. "What?! No, I-"

He's cut off by a gunshot ringing through the air. Carver grunts in pain as he clutches his knee. We turn and see that Tess is holding a gun. She had shot Carver in the kneecap.

Glaring, she shoots him again in the other knee, crippling him, causing him to collapse. As he falls to the ground, Tess lowers her gun and glares at him before she walks over to a table, grabs a crowbar, and grips it tightly.

She speaks in a low voice. "Go on and wait outside..."

Most of the group, though hesitant, heads towards the door leading outside and opens it.

"Tess, we have to go." Carlos told her.

"Tess, please..." Emily pleaded as Mike opened the door.

"I only need a minute. Go on, you don't need to see this, Clementine..."

Carver chuckles weakly. "That girl has seen more than you can imagine, sweetie-"

I snarled. "Shut the hell up!" I growled at him.

Luke looked at us incredulously. "You're all seriously gonna let her do this?!"

"Yes!" Rebecca retorts.

"There ain't one part of the son of a bitch I don't hate, but that doesn't make this right! I don't want nothin' to do with this." Luke sighed at the end.

"He's our father, Tess!" Emily said.

Tess looked at her sister. "Not anymore, Emmy. He stopped being our father a long time ago..."

Carver glared up at us. "Look at you... fuckin' ingrates. You don't even know how good you got it..."

Most of the group heads outside, but Carlos, Rebecca, Kenny, Sarita, Clementine, Tess, Dylan, Emily, and I stay. Carver scoffs. "That's alright. You'll learn."

I sneer at him as I walk over to Clem and Tess. "Lambs to the slaughter... no shepherd to guide you... Clementine knows exactly what I'm talking about."

My glare intensifies. "Don't you dare compare Clementine to yourself!" I roared.

"Come on." Sarita told Clem.

"Come on, guys..." Luke told us. Carver laughed. "Fuckin' big man now, huh?"

I open my mouth to say something, but Tess cuts me off. "Anne... go..."

I looked at her, and her gaze is steely. "This will only take a minute... go on..."

Without another word, I turn to leave. I look down at Clementine. "Let's go."

Carver grins a sick grin. "Oh, come on, Clementine, don't be like that. Don't run away! You know you wanna see the show."

I place a hand on Clem's shoulder as I glared at Carver hatefully. "Come on, Clem..."

Reluctantly, Emily looks back at her father before heading outside.

"Yeah, go on! Let the sheep out of the pen! We'll see how long that lasts!" Carver groans out. Rebecca stood in her place. "I'll be right there." she told us. "You won't see anything." Tess growls out as she grips the crowbar. Kenny crosses his arms. "I'm stayin' here."

"Aw, come on, Tessie... do you REALLY wanna do this to your own father?" Carver grins up at Tess.

Tess snarls. "You never were my father..."

He scoffs. "You really think you should do this with your conditon?"

I see Tess's eyes widen slightly as I reach the door. Carver chuckles. "That's right, I know. I know your little secret. What a shame... I would have been a great grandfa-!"

As I step outside, the sound of metal hitting flesh is heard.

* * *

I cringe at the sound as I hear Tess hit Carver again and again with the crowbar. I jump down and land next to Dylan. Clem lands next to me. Carlos is covering Sarah's ears so she doesn't have to hear what is going on inside.

Becca walks over to me, cringing at the sounds from inside, and hands me something. "Here... I managed to grab this. I knew it was yours, so..."

I look down and see what she is holding. It's my hunting knife! How'd she manage to grab it?!

"Thanks..." I thanked as I took the knife and strapped it back onto my right leg.

Emily turned to me. I could see a tear stream down her face as she spoke. "That man in there... he wasn't the man I knew before... I... I just wish there was a way to save him..."

I was silent as I gave her a look of sympathy. He never WAS the man you knew...

I then heard the sound of feet hitting gravel. I turn around and see Tess climbing out, still holding the crowbar. "You OK?" I asked.

"I'm fine, Anne. Don't worry..." she told me. We then turned to the herd of walkers. Shit... there's gotta be at least a thousand of them...

"Man... we're never gonna make it through this!" Nick muttered nervously.

"Yes, we will!" Tess told him. "If Clem can handle it, then you can, too." Luke agreed.

I turned back to the herd of walkers. Holy shit... there's so many of them...

Kenny's uncovered eye widened at the sight of the walkers. "Shit... I thought they were coming from the south..."

"They did... looks like we're in the eye of it now..." Rebecca muttered.

We're in the eye of a massive storm... a massive storm of flesh eating corpses...

"Fuck... this is fucked!" Mike whispered.

As two walkers came towards us, Luke handed Clem a hatchet. "Here, you're gonna need something." he said as he pulled his machete out. We stood back as he and Clem stabbed the walkers in the head. Jane knelt by the walker that Luke took out and stabbed the walker's stomach, and sliced it open.

"That's just fucked up..." Chase comments with a groan.

I heard gunshots in the distance. That must be the guards trying to take the walkers out.

Jane then began to smear the walker guts onto herself.

Oh, that's just gross...

"You guys better hurry up and get to smearing if you wanna live. Or you can die here. Doesn't matter to me. Do it quick. We need to get good and covered before the rest of them get closer or we're fucked." Jane tells us. Reluctantly, I kneel down, stick my hands into the walker's stomach. I shudder at the contact with the stomach contents and begin to smear the guts onto my leather jacket.

"Oh god... this is freaking disgusting..." I moaned.

"It's gonna get us outta here, isn't it?" Dylan asked me.

"This isn't gonna work..." Rebecca whispered.

As I smear the guts onto my clothes, I see Clem reach into the other walker's stomach. Sarah cringed. "You're gonna put that on yourself?"

"We have to, Sarah." Clem whispered as she began smearing the guts onto herself. She then turned to Sarah. "Now you. Turn around." she says as she stands up.

"Smells gross..." Sarah groaned.

"No shit..." Mike retorted.

"Everybody shut the fuck up and get covered." Jane quietly advises.

"Hold still, Becca..." Shel said as she helped Becca rub the guts onto her.

Tess smears the stomach contents onto my back, careful of my guitar. "This better work..." I muttered.

"It'll be OK, honey. Just stay still." Carlos told his daughter. "A-Are you sure?" Sarah asked. Carlos nodded as he began helping Clem smear more guts onto Sarah. "I'm sure. There's nothing to be afraid of if you remain calm. I'll keep you safe."

Jane crossed her arms. "Hurry the fuck up." she quietly hissed.

"We ain't got all day here!" Kenny whispered as he stood up. "Everybody ready? They're almost on us!"

"What in the actual fuck is goin' on here?!"

You have GOT to be kidding me...

We turn around to see Troy stepping out carrying an AK-47. "What is this sick shit?! Someone better say somethin' before I start-" Troy began. Luke reached for his machete, but Troy saw him and aimed the assault rifle at him. "HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY! Don't you even fucking think about it, motherfucker! I will end you, you hear me?!"

Jane then stands up, hiding a gun as she slowly walks up to Troy. "Troy... we've talked about this..." she said gently.

"What? The fuck you talkin' about?" Troy asked in confusion as he backed up.

"I told you I wanted to get out. You'd said you'd help, then I'd help."

A walker slowly staggered past me. I froze, expecting it to turn to me, but the corpse completely ignored me. Holy shit, it's working!

"I thought you meant get out of the pen! Not whatever the fuck this shit is!" Troy exclaimed.

"I did, but now we can leave. Troy... you can come with us."

"W-What?" Troy stammered before lowering his gun. "Well... where would we go?" he asked. Jane smiled. "Away from here... together..." she told him. Troy smiled, he actually SMILED. "Man, you smell really bad. You gotta get a bath before we-"

Jane then grabbed Troy's assault rifle, brought out her gun... AND SHOT HIM IN THE GROIN!

HOLY SHIT!

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Troy screamed as he clutched his groin and collaspsed. "YOU SHOT MY DICK OFF!"

Heh... you deserved it, asshole...

Jane then walks away from him and gives the assault rifle to Bonnie as walkers begin to devour Troy. "Come on. Don't make any noise, got it? They might hear something they don't like." Jane advises. "And for fuck's sake, WALK. Act like you belong, and you WILL belong."

We then begin to slowly walk through the herd. I hear Troy scream in pain as he's being devoured.

Tess, Dylan, and I stick close together near Carlos, Clem, and Sarah as we slowly make our way through the herd.

"We got this, y'all..." Luke whispered. "Is that Tavia?"

I hear rapid fire. I look up at the roof and see Tavia with several guards firing at the walkers.

"Where's Bill?! We need him up here!" one of them said.

Gotta keep moving...

"Don't run." Jane advises.

"Stay close to me, Becca..." Shel ordered.

We can do this...

"Watch Sarah." Mike whispers.

"Eyes forward, Nick..." I hear Tess hiss.

Sarah quietly starts whimpering. Carlos turned to her. "Shh... quiet, honey." he gently hushed. "Clementine, help me. Calm her down, please. Just say something, you're her friend." he requests. "Clementine, are you-"

He's suddenly cut off when he's shot in the neck.

NO!

We watch in horror as he staggers forward, clutching his neck as he tried to stop the bleeding.

"Dad!" Sarah exclaimed.

He fell to his knees and screamed in pain as two walkers began to devour into him.

OH GOD, NO! NOT HIM! CARLOS, NO!

"DAD! DAAAADDD!" Sarah screamed as she clutched her head and began sobbing.

Her screams attract several walkers. SHIT!

Suddenly, two walkers collaspe and fall to the ground with bullet holes in their heads. I look and see that Bonnie had shot them.

"Sarah!" she yelled as she shot a few more.

"Kenny!" Sarita called.

"Goddamn it!" the bearderd man swore. "I can't get to you, babe!"

"Please, daddy... no..." Sarah sobbed.

I turned to her. "Sarah, RUN! RUN!" I hiss.

And she does. She runs into the herd, away from us.

Clementine turns around and sees a walker coming towards us. She quickly gives it a quick chop to the head with the hatchet and it collapses. Another walker comes towards us, but I quickly pull my hunting knife out and stab it in the head just as Clem yanks the hatchet out. I yank the knife out of the head and turn back to them.

"GO!" I yelled to Tess and Dylan as we began running towards the others.

I then hear a scream and we freeze. I see Sarita struggling with a walker... that is biting her hand!

She's been bitten!

"SARITA!" Tess called out as Clem rushes up to the woman.

What the girl does next shocks me.

Clementine takes the hatchet and chops it into Sarita's forearm.

OH MY GOD!

"Oh my god!" Sarita cried out. Clementine then hacks into her arm again, severing the bitten part off. I gasp as I see Sarita clutch her stump as it spurts out blood.

She then lets out a blood-curdling scream that sends shivers down my spine.

**"AAAAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHHH!"**

* * *

**Hey everyone! **

**Just a little heads up. I'm taking a short break until The Walking Dead Game Season 2 Episode 4 comes out. Hopefully, it'll be released by next month.**

**BUT DON'T WORRY! I'll be back! I'll work on it as soon as the episode comes out! I PROMISE!**

**Any ideas what will happen next?**

**Stay tuned!**

**-ADE**


	20. A Backfired Plan

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I gasped as Sarita screamed. Clementine quickly grabbed her remaining hand and ran with her.

"I'm goin' after Sarah!" Luke yells as he, Tess, and Nick run out of the herd. Dylan and I exchange a look before we feel a pair of hands grab us.

I gasp and struggle, but I hear a familiar voice say, "Stop!"

My eye widened. Rebecca! And Clementine's with her!

We crouch down behind an overturned table. "I can't find the others..." Clementine whispered.

"Where's Sarita?!" I hiss out. "With Kenny... I think..." the girl muttered.

"You think?!" I hissed, not meaning to sound harsh. "What d'you mean 'you think'?!"

"He was... angry that I cut off her arm... I was trying to save her... but..."

My eye widened. Good God...

"What do we do?!" Rebecca asked. "Luke was with me, but... I-I can't do this alone..."

"We have to find the others." Clementine responded.

I nod. "Yeah. Rebecca knows where the meeting place is." I say.

Rebecca looks back at the herd as the guards continue shooting at the walkers. "Look. The walkers are still moving towards the hardware store. We can make it out if we stick together-" Suddenly, she grunts and holds her stomach.

My eye widened. Rebecca looks at us. "I'm glad you guys are here. We can watch each other's backs..."

"We'll stick with you." Clementine nods.

Rebecca smiles gratefully. "Thank you."

She then looks out to the forest. "We need a clear path to the trees." she whispered. "Maybe they're thnning out somewhere. Do you see any openings?"

Clem crouched down as she looked for an opening. I look around too.

Shit... too many of 'em...

"This is fucked... this is SO fucked..." I muttered.

"There!" Clem whispers. The four of us stand up and head towards the opening, but a walker blocks the way.

"Damn it! Go back!" Dylan hisses.

Clementine turned around and headed towards us. Suddenly she bumped into something.

I gasped, but my terror faded when I saw it was just Jane.

"Jane!" Clementine cries out.

"Jane! Oh, thank god...!" Rebecca sighs, but Jane cuts her off. "Stop. Relax. You need to walk... SLOWLY. You'll be fine." Jane tells us as she begins walking forward. Rebecca shakes her head and walks over to a tree. "I can't do this..." She whimpered. "You have to help us... please."

Jane turns back to us. "We can't just clump up together like this. It's better if we just split up. You guys will be fine..."

"No!" Rebecca gasped out. "You don't understand! Just help us!"

"Are you sure spreading out is a good idea?" I ask.

Rebecca shuddered and crouched down. Dylan knelt down next to her. "Rebecca, don't panic. We're gonna make it out of this!" he tells her.

I look back at Jane, who is looking at us. She sighed. "Damn it..." she muttered before walking back to us.

I smiled gratefully as she approached us.

"We'll have to push through that cluster of walkers." Jane told us as she looked back at the walkers.

"But... there's too many!" Rebecca points out.

"We'll make a cow-catcher, then." Jane says.

I rose an eyebrow. "The hell is a 'cow-catcher'?" I asked.

Jane looks back at me. "You'll find out in a minute."

What's she up to?

She looks around until she sees a skinny female walker near us. "There... that one looks light enough to carry." She then crouches down. "I'm gonna get on the far side of her. I need YOU to get her attention, Clementine."

Clementine nods as she slowly walks forward.

"Be careful!" I hiss out as I stay by Rebecca's side. We watched as Jane crouched behind the walker. "Hey. Over here!" Clem calls out softly so the walker can hear her. The walker snarls and turns around to face her. Suddenly, Jane grabs the walker from behind and cuts the walker's jaw clean off.

WHOA!

"Not gonna bite anyone now, are ya?" she asked.

"That was insane!" I gasped out. Jane shoots me a glance before she turns around and holds the walker in front of her. "You guys follow me. Stay close. If any of you fall behind, I can't come back to get you." Jane tells us as she begins to slowly walk.

The four of us slowly followed her.

We can't fall back...

I cringe as a walker's hand nearly hits my face, but I move out of the way.

We then make it to the woods. Jane shoves the walker to the ground before quickly putting it out of its misery with a knife to the back of its head. She turns back to us.

"Come on... let's go..."

I follow Rebecca, Clem, Dylan, and Jane into the woods, not daring to look back at the community...

* * *

**Tess's POV**

"SARAH! COME BACK!" I yelled as Nick, Luke, and I ran after the girl. The girl screamed again before she made a beeline towards a trailer park.

"Goddamn it!" Nick yelled.

Luke ran towards the trailer park just as Sarah climbed over a fence. I panted from exhaustion.

I know I shouldn't be running in my... condition... but still, I have to get to Sarah!

Luke and Nick climb over the fence, but Nick stops and helps me get over it. "Thanks, Babe..." I told him before we caught up with Luke. We ran around a corner just in time to see Sarah rush into one of the mobile homes. We exchange a look before we make a beeline towards the trailer.

I weaved my way past the walkers as we make it to a barricade. Luke climbs over it, followed by Nick, then me. As I land on my feet, I cringe as I feel the baby kick. Damn it...

Nick looks back at me with concern. I wave it off. "I"m fine, Nick..." I insisted. I then heard snarling.

I gasped as I saw walkers coming towards us. "SHIT! MOVE IT!" I yelled. Luke runs up to the door and slams it open. "GET INSIDE!" he yells. Without hesitation, Nick and I run through the doorway and into the mobile home. Luke slams the door shut and locks it before we dart after Sarah. I hear the cries get louder as we enter the room she's in.

She's curled up in a ball in a catatonic state... her glasses are gone...

I reached out to her, but she flinched as she cried.

"Sarah, come on! We need to get back to the others!" Luke says.

"NO!"

"Sarah, get up! We can't stay here!" I exclaim.

Sarah wails as she rocks herself back and forth.

I look at Nick as I feel the baby kick again. This isn't the right time and place for this... but...

"Come on!" Nick says.

"AHH!" was Sarah's response.

I looked at Luke. "Luke, try to get her up. I'm gonna go look for something useful... Nick, come with me..." I say.

Nick raises an eyebrow, but says nothing as he and I step out of the room. He turns back to me. "So where do we start looking?"

I sighed. "Nick... we're not looking for anything..." I admit.

I see him raise an eyebrow a second time. "Then... why are we out here?"

I look down, still hearing Sarah's sobs.

"I... I need to tell you something..."

* * *

**Anne's POV**

A few hours have passed by now...

It's gotten lighter, making it easier to see where I'm going...

The walker guts have faded off of our clothes, but they've left some stains...

I heard Rebecca panting behind us. I looked over my shoulder and saw her a couple feet behind us with one hand placed over her stomach.

"Hey, you okay, Rebecca?" I questioned.

She shook her head. "No. I'm not okay. But I'll be a lot better once we get with the others. I need to make sure that everyone else made it out... Luke... Sarah... Kenny... Tess..."

"And Chase." Dylan adds.

"And Chase..." Rebecca repeated. "Goddamn it... what if they aren't there?"

"If they aren't, nothing we can do about it." Jane answers.

Rebecca frowned. "Don't even say things like that."

"Fine. Sorry." Jane apologized.

"Damn it... I don't even know if WE'RE safe. What if the herd is still following us?" Rebecca questions.

"We're fine." Jane insisted.

Rebecca shrugged. "It's been pretty quiet, but who knows?"

I looked over my shoulder. Don't see any walkers...

"We'll watch out for each other." I say.

"So long as as we keep up a good pace." Jane added.

"I know... I'm going as fast as I can right now..." Rebecca explained as she held her stomach. "I know I should feel glad that we've escaped... but I just can't stop thinking about the others... it was stupid..."

Jane raises an eyebrow. "What was? Escaping?"

"Look, I know we all agreed to use the herd to get out, but maybe we should have been more patient... come up with something better..."

"It worked!" Jane shot back.

Rebecca frowned at the short haired woman. "You call that 'working'?! We could have- I don't know..."

"Jane saved us. I don't know how we would have gotten out of there without you..." Clementine told Jane.

Jane chuckled lightly. "You don't give yourself enough credit. I'm just saying that if people hadn't panicked, things might have gone more smoothly..."

I looked down, thinking of Sarah running away.

She better be okay...

I'm pulled out of my thoughts by Rebecca's tone. "Of course we panicked! We were scared!"

"Not to mention we almost got our asses eaten!" Dylan agrees.

"The plan was good! The execution was the messy part..." Jane sighed.

"That sounds an awful lot like you're saying it was their fault!" Rebecca accused.

Jane looked back at the pregnant woman. "What? No! That's not what I'm saying. Just-"

Suddenly, Rebecca groaned as she clutched her stomach. We immediately stop walking and turned to her. Dylan and I exchanged a nervous look.

"Rebecca? You okay?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "I have to stop... I'm sorry... I don't wanna slow us down... can I have a minute?" She requested.

Jane shrugged. "Uh... yeah. Take a minute."

"Thank you." Rebecca panted. She then turned away from us and started to quietly cry. "Alvin was supposed to be here for this..."

I feel a pang at my heart at the mention of my dead friend.

Alvin...

"Is Alvin...?" Jane began. Rebecca glared at her. "He's dead is what he is. Thanks to that fucking madman back there."

"He bought us time to escape..." I muttered.

Clementine looked up at Jane. "Jane, do you know anything about, uh...?"

She shook her head in response. "No. I don't." she admitted.

Clem then turned her gaze to me.

WHOA, WHAT?!

I hold my hands up slightly. "Whoa, don't look at me. I don't know a thing about that kinda stuff!"

"I don't either..." Dylan sighed.

I saw Jane's gaze land on Rebecca's swollen stomach. "What're you going to do with it?" she suddenly asked.

Rebecca frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

I mentally sigh. Oh boy, here we go...

Jane must have realized what she said. "Uh, sorry... Just making conversation." she apologized as she scratched the back of her neck. "It was nothing."

Rebecca shook her head. "No. What do you mean by that?" She demanded. "Do with what? My baby?!"

Jane sighed. "I'm just looking at the worst case scenario. You, Clem, Anne, and Dylan here won't be able to raise a baby by yourselves. Not out here."

Well, she's got a point...

"I mean, it's gonna need food. And, ya know... other stuff." she shrugged.

"We'll look after it together, then." I interjected. Jane turned to me. "Even if that's the case, you can't always protect everyone."

"And you assume I won't be capable enough?" Rebecca accused. "Just because you're some angry loner who doesn't care about anyone but herself doesn't mean you know better than me!"

I stepped in between them. "Rebecca, calm down! Fighting out here ain't gonna help anything."

But my request falls on deaf ears as Jane says, "Hey! I've seen it before! Back when this all started... me and my sister... we were-"

Rebecca cuts her off. "What?! She died?!"

Oh...

Jane's shocked expression said it all.

"I don't need your pity!" Rebecca growled.

Jane's shocked face changes to a slightly angered one. "You don't... You don't have the right...!"

She turns on her heel and started walking away from us.

"Damn it, Rebecca..." I sighed.

"Shit, I didn't mean..." Rebecca muttered.

I clenched my fist. You took it too far, Bec...

"Jane, wait!" Clementine called.

"She didn't mean it!" Dylan added.

Her call fell on deaf ears, as Jane had kept walking. I sighed and shook my head.

Goddamn it...

* * *

We followed Jane in silence. The only sound I could hear was our footsteps.

Ahead of us, I see the path leading out to a place with a short brick wall surrounding it. I can make out a statue of a man carrying another man over his shoulders...

This must be Parker's Run!

I quickened my pace as we got closer to it. I could see Mike, Becca, Shel, Chase, Bonnie, and Emily standing by the entrance. Mike noticed us.

"Holy shit..." I heard him say as we approached them.

"You guys made it!" Chase sighed with relief.

"It had been so long... we were starting to worry no one else would make it..." Bonnie said.

I looked past them and saw Kenny sitting by the statue looking down at his lap.

"How's Kenny?" I asked.

Mike and Bonnie exchanged a look. "I tried to talk to him, but he flipped out on me. Started yelling. Scary shit..." Mike explained.

"He won't even talk to me..." Emily muttered.

"I know he probably didn't mean it. But yeah, it was scary." Bonnie admitted.

"Wait, where's Tess and the others?" I asked.

Emily shook her head. "Tess, Luke, and Nick took off after Sarah... I thought they were with you, but..."

The raven and crimson haired woman trailed off as we all looked back at Kenny. "He's been sitting there since..." Shel trailed off.

Sarita...

She didn't make it, did she?

"I've been nervous to even go near him." Mike says.

"What? You think he's gonna shoot you?" Jane asked.

"The way he is right now? I don't know. Maybe. He's not acting rationally..."

Clementine looked at Kenny. "I should go talk to him."

Oh boy...

I looked down at Clementine with uncertainty. "You sure?" I asked.

She nodded sadly. "This is my fault..."

Jane looked at the younger girl. "Hey, you did what you thought was right. That's all anyone can do in that situation..." she told her.

"Just... be careful." I advised.

"Yeah, don't say anyting to piss him off even more." Becca added.

I glared at her. Not the time, Becca!

I watched as Clementine slowly walked over to Kenny. As we walk past the statue, I hear Kenny growl. "You think I don't know what y'all are whispering about over there? 'What's wrong with Kenny?' 'Why's he acting like this?' 'Do you think Kenny's okay?' That's all I hear from anyone anymore..."

Great, he heard us...

We all sat down by a bench in a corner and watched the display.

"Shit..." I muttered as I shook my head. I took my guitar off my shoulder and set it down next to me.

"What're they saying?" Chase asked.

I shook my head. "I dunno... can't make out all of it..."

I look out of the corner of my eye and see Dylan looking down at the ground with an unreadable expression.

"Dylan...?" I asked, my voice laced with concern.

Suddenly, Kenny's voice calls our attention.

"You think because you're a little girl you can just get people killed and no one will care?! That because you're 'sorry' it'll all magically go away?! That's NOT how it works!"

I cringe as Kenny yelled. Oh boy...

Clementine flinches at his tone. Poor kid... she looks like she's about to cry...

I hear him say something else, but I can't make it out...

Clem then walks towards us, a hurt expression etched on her face. I stood up and walked towards her. "How'd it go, Clem?" I asked with concern.

The younger girl looked back at the bearded man. "Kenny's really mad at me..."

"Clem, you can't just expect him to bounce back." Rebecca pointed out. "What that man's going through right now..."

My gaze followed hers and it fell on Kenny. I can't even imagine what he's going through right now...

"At least you tried." I assured Clem.

"Still. Doesn't exactly help us figure out what we're gonna do now." Mike interjected. "We've got no food, no water, it's getting damn cold, and we're losing daylight pretty fast."

"When the others get back, they'll know what to do. Luke will have a plan." Bonnie said.

"We thought Kenny would have a plan." Mike mentioned with a shrug.

I heard Jane sigh. "Mike's got a point. You all just can't keep sit around waiting." We all turned to her as she continued to speak. "Things are difficult enough already and soon you'll have a baby on your hands, too."

"What? Suddenly, you're pretending to be concerned?" Rebecca asked.

"Seeing you people floundering the minute things don't go according to plan has just got me on edge, alright?" Jane explained.

"Well, I don't see you stepping up to help, either." Becca retorted.

"We have to find Tess, Luke, Sarah, and Nick." I brought up. "If they're in trouble, we might be able to help 'em."

"Anne's right, guys. After everything that's happened, if there's any chance they're still alive, we need to take it." Rebecca agreed.

"I'll go." Jane volunteers. "Clem can come with me."

Clementine nodded and walked up to Jane's side. I followed her.

"I'm going too." I told them.

Becca scoffed. "Don't waste your time. They're all probably dead by now."

"Becca!" Shel scolded.

I shoot a glare in her direction. "Becca..." I growled. "This is NO time to piss me off right now!"

"What? I'm just saying you're wasting time looking for corpses!" Becca defended herself.

"They're NOT dead!" I argued.

"And how do you know that?!" Becca shoots back. "It's just a waste of time. If it weren't for Sarah, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

I gritted my teeth. "Don't blame this on Sarah! It wasn't her fault! Her father just DIED! She has every right to be upset! A waste of time is sitting here and doing nothing while Tess and the others are out there possibly in danger!" I seeth. "I am NOT gonna sit here and let my friends die! I'm gonna look for them whether you like it or not!"

Becca crossed her arms and looked away. "Whatever..."

She's REALLY pissing me off right now...

"You're being a real pain in the ass right now..." I snarl.

Shel frowned at her sister's actions as she looked at me. "Anne, calm down..."

Jane then spoke up, putting a stop to the argument. "Listen, Rebecca... if anything goes wrong here, you got something to protect yourself?"

Rebecca reached into her pocket and pulled out a pistol. I recognize it as Carver's gun.

"I've got this. You don't think I'd need to...?" she trails off as she looks at Kenny.

Jane shook her head. "I don't know... but you better keep that close." she tells her before she looks at Clementine and I. "Come on, you two."

We turn around and start walking away from the group, but a sudden cry stops us.

"Hold up!"

We pause and turn around to see Dylan running up to us. "I'm coming with you guys. I wanna help find them..."

I looked at him gratefully. "Thanks, Dylan..."

Jane nodded at him. "Just keep up with us, alright?"

Dylan nodded. We then walked away from the group, away from Parker's Run...

And into the forest.

Tess... Sarah... Luke... Nick...

PLEASE be okay...


	21. Things Are Never Easy

I** don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

The four of us trudged down the path.

No sign of Tess or the others yet...

My gaze fell on Dylan, remembering that look on his face back at Parker's Run. What was that about...?

"Hey, Dylan?" I asked.

"Hm?"

"Are you... okay?" I questioned.

He smiles. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

I give him a look. "I saw the look on your face back at the meeting place." I confessed. His eyes widened before he looked away. "You... saw that, huh?"

"Yeah. You were sitting right next to me, so..." I trail off. Dylan stopped walking and sighed. "Hey Jane? Clementine? Can you give us a minute?" he requested.

The two exchange a look. "Sure... just don't take too long." Jane says as they walk away to give us some privacy.

Dylan sighs. "The truth is... I know what Kenny's going through right now..."

I rose an eyebrow. What...?

I see him inhale before he looks at me. "Back when this all started... I lost my girlfriend..."

My eye widened. Oh my god... Did she get...?

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of him and a smiling blonde girl. "Her name was Rebecca Townley..." he almost whispered.

I looked at the picture sadly. "She's beautiful..."

He nodded. "Yeah... we met when we were out on a walk one day." He smiled briefly, but it fell. "We were dating for about a year when shit hit the fan..."

I choose to remain silent. I should hear him out...

"It was either six or seven months in... we were out on a supply run... we got a lot of stuff, but when we weren't looking... a walker snuck up on her and..."

God...

Dylan sighed and put the photo away. "She died... I had to... make sure she didn't come back..."

"I'm sorry..." I muttered, but he shook his head. "Don't be. There was nothing you could have done..." he insisted. "Chase told me that I was pretty much traumatized for almost four months... but I managed to recover..."

I nod. "That's good."

I looked to my right and saw Jane talking to Clementine, but I couldn't make out what she was saying...

Dylan then smiled a little. "You know... you kind of remind me of her..."

I rose an eyebrow. "I do?"

The dark haired teen in front of me nodded. "Yeah... Rebecca Townley was a sweet, funny, and great girl... she loved music..."

I smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She must have been a great person..."

Dylan smiled weakly and nodded. "Yeah... she was..."

We both smiled at each other. I then realize my hand is still on his shoulder. His gaze follows mine and notices my hand on his shoulder. We both blush as I quickly retract my hand.

That was... awkward...

"Hey. Lovebirds."

We both blushed at the nickname as we looked away from each other and saw Jane and Clem walking up to us. Jane smirked. "If you're done chatting, we should get a move on."

I lightly blushed. "Uh, yeah. Let's go..."

Jane turns on her heel and we follow her. "Listen, Clem, I like most of the people in your crew, but... groups fall apart. People get killed." Jane told Clementine.

I narrowed my eye. "What do you mean by that?"

"Look at Kenny. How much help is he gonna be now? What he's going through... he's more of a liability than anything. And Rebecca's-" Jane makes quotation marks as she speaks this. "-situation isn't making things any better. You get enough broken people together... and all you'll get is broken decisions."

"Hey, Rebecca's just worried about her baby. Wouldn't you be?" I retort.

"I wouldn't bring a kid into this world. And like you said, it's HER kid. Not mine. Or yours." Jane tells me.

We then approach an abandoned car on the trail. "So... why'd you bring me with you, then?" Clementine asked.

"I'm just trying to give you the tools you need to make it." Jane answered. "Like that jacket of yours. It's warm... but a walker will bite right through that." she says as she gestures to Clem's ski jacket. She then had a tone of remorse in her voice. "My sister Jaime had a good leather jacket... wish I still had it. You coulda..."

Jane closed her eyes for a moment before she headed over to the passenger's side of the car. The three of us followed her. "I always wanted a sister..." Clementine admitted. "I used to make my babysitter, Sandra, play a game where we were secret sisters." Clem's smile fell. "It was... stupid kid stuff."

I gave her a sad look. Wonder what kind of shit she's been through when this all started...

I could see that Jane had a thoughtful look as we walked over to the other side of the car. "You know, being a big sister is... well, it's funny."

We start to walk away from the car. "It's really easy to be mean." she told us.

Clem rose an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Jane smirked. "Ya know... hide her toys, make fun of her bad hair cut. GIVE her the bad haircut. On purpose. I mean, I did put the gum there. I figured I should get it out."

I hold back a snicker, but part of it escapes my lips.

"Is that really what it's like having a sister?" Clem questoned.

Jane smiled lightly. "No... no... it's not all bad. But... What could I do? She thought I was her best friend. That couldn't go... unpunished." We paused for a moment as Jane chuckled lightly. "Every summer, we'd go to this amusement park in Virginia. But the best part wasn't the rides..."

I rose an eyebrow. "It was that nobody knew us there. And I'd... I'd pretend we weren't sisters. Just... friends." she explained. Her smile then fell and she cleared her throat. Clementine looked up at Dylan. "What's it like having a brother?" she questioned.

Dylan smirked. "Oh, let's see... Chase and I used to wrestle with each other when we were younger."

I chuckle. "Oh yeah, I remember that."

Chase and Dylan would often play rough with each other when we were younger... they'd always tackle each other... wrestle around... but they'd always go easy on me...

Dylan catches my smirk and smiled back. "Plus, we loved beating each other at video games... we always did stupid stuff together..."

Jane smirked before she looked ahead of us. She narrowed her eyes to get a closer look. "Alright! Jackpot!"

Ahead of us, I can see a fence with a tall sign next to it. Peering it up at it, it read 'Sunshine Mobile Home Park'.

Well, there definitely ain't anything 'sunny' about this place...

Jane looked at a pair of walkers lying on the ground, then back at us. "Bet these walker got some good stuff..." she said to us before crouching down by one of them. She quickly stabbed it in the head with a screwdriver. "That one's not coming back. Let's see what he's got on him."

Clementine nodded. "Yeah... we should check them out..."

"But you know why, right?" Jane questioned. "Only because they're fresh. Take a look. Old walkers are a waste of time. They're holding credit cards and busted old pagers."

Clem and I crouch down by the walker Jane stabbed while Dylan crouches on the other side of it. "But these ones are fresh, you guys." Jane continued. "They weren't walkers all that long ago. They were survivors. Might have something useful on them."

Jane then stabbed the walker she was crouching by. I could see Clem have a slightly disgusted look. "See what else he's got. I'll check out this one." Jane told us before she began searching the walker. I look down at the dead walker at our feet before I reached into one of the back pockets. I felt something and pulled out two drivers' licenses. A man and a woman's... the woman must have been his...

"You find anything?" Jane asked.

"I found a couple of drivers' licenses." I answered.

Jane shrugged. "Well, I guess some people can't leave the past behind."

I placed the licenses back in the pocket before Clem reached into another and pulled out two bullets. "You should hold onto those. Ammo's getting hard to come by these days." Jane advises.

Clementine nodded and put the bullets into her pocket. Clementine then checked the walker's jacket. I saw Jane smile slightly. "Smart haircut you have there." she commented.

Clem smiled. "Thanks."

I see Clem look at me with a smirk. "What?"

"What about your haircut?"

I caught on quickly. "Don't even think about it." I smirked back.

Jane then sighed. "So... has your crew always been so dysfunctional? You fit in there. But you aren't like them. It makes me wonder..." I frown at her slightly.

"It's never easy. But I don't really know how it's supposed to be..." Clementine admitted.

"Things haven't been easy for us... Nick lost his uncle a couple weeks ago, Carver let Tess's mother die..." I trailed off.

I checked the walker one last time with Dylan, but didn't find much. "Well, that's it." I shrugged.

I saw Jane pull out something from the walker she was searching and stood up. "A nail file. These things are pretty great. Sharpen a blade, strike a flint... Jaime always had one of these in her purse. It'd jab my hand when I went reaching in..." She had a sentimental expression as she looked down at the nail file. She then sighed as she put the nail file into her pocket. I then looked over my shoulder and noticed another walker lying on the ground near us. "Hey, over here." I gestured before Jane crouched down by it. Jane examined it for a moment before she stabbed it in the head with the screwdriver she had.

She looked up at us. "You can never be too sure with these things..." she shook her head. "Here. Gimme a hand with this, will ya?"

I got on the walker's other side with Clementine and helped Jane roll it onto its back.

There...

Something then caught my eye.

What...?

Oh my god...

On the ground was a pair of glasses...

Sarah's glasses...

I snatched them off of the ground. One of the lenses had a few cracks in it. "These are Sarah's glasses!" I gasped as I placed them in my pocket.

"Shit..." Dylan whispered, his blue and hazel eyes wide.

"Looks like your friend didn't make it..." Jane muttered. "Sorry. I don't know what to tell ya..."

I glared at her. "Don't even say that. All we know was that she was here. She could still be here."

"Don't go getting your hopes up, kid..." the short haired woman sighed. "Look, I know what you three want me to say, but..."

She's suddenly cut off by a shout.

_"Get off!"_

My eye widened.

SARAH!

_"Sarah... goddamn it!"_

Luke!

_"Come on, Sarah... Please!"_

Tess!

_"GAH!"_

And Nick! They're all in there!

"Shit." Jane hissed. "Okay, come on... we gotta find a way in there."

I peer through the dark green fence. "I think I see an opening over there..." I told them. We headed around the corner and found a hole torn in the chained fence. The four of us climb through it and find ourselves in a backyard. I see a lot of playground stuff, like slides and swings...

"You remember when we used to play at the park all the time, Anne?" Dylan suddenly asked.

"Yeah... except there weren't any corpses walking around." I retort.

I then hear Sarah cry again.

_"Sarah, sweetie! Calm down!"_ I heard Tess try to soothe. We crouched down behind an overturned slide. "They don't sound too good in there..." Jane shook her head. "The clock is ticking..."

"Let's do this..." I narrowed my eye.

"We need to get a better look..." She whispered before our gazes fell on a walker wearing a pale green tracksuit. "How about you get the close one and I'll hop over the fence to get the other?" she suggested to Clementine. Clem nodded and Jane smiled slightly as she handed her the screwdriver. "Go for it!"

As I watched Clem sneak towards the walker, I could hear Luke's muffled voice. _"We're gonna get up and go, okay?"_

Clem stabbed it, but only got it in the chest. Luckily, she yanked it out and stabbed the walker in the head. As soon as she did, the walker collapsed. Clem pulled the screwdriver out before it even hit the ground.

I then heard Sarah cry, _"NO!"_

"Nice work, Clem!" I praised as we crouched back down. "You know what you're doing." Jane complimented. "Now watch this."

She huslted over to a short, wooden fence and crouched behind it. Jane then looked back at us and smirked. "Got a nice little addition to your arsenal."

And with that, she hops over the fence, rushes over to a walker, and kicks it in the knee. The walker falls to the ground and Jane quickly stabbed it in the back of the head.

Wow.

"Nice move!" I commented as Clem, Dylan, and I hopped over the fence and ran up to her. "Take out the knees first. Then... put a knife in the back of its head when it's down." she instructed.

I have gotta remember to do that...

_"Shit! Get up!"_ Nick yelled.

"Come on. Let's get a look at what we've got on deck..." And with that, the four of us crouch down and hide behind a corner. I can hear Sarah's muffled sobs from here...

I peer around the corner and see a walker lying on the ground no less than a foot away from us.

"Looks dead..." I muttered. "But... we gotta be sure."

I pull out my hunting knife and quickly stabbed it in the head. The walker jerked, but went limp a second later.

Oh, whaddya know? It wasn't dead.

"Glad you're paying attention." Jane commented as I ducked backa around the corner.

_"We can't stay here!" _I hear Luke yell.

"What else do ya see?" Dylan asked. I peered around the corner again and saw a pair of walkers banging on a barricade. "There's a couple walkers over by that barricade..."

"It's gonna take some work to get past 'em..." Dylan pointed out.

I nodded and my gaze wandered over to a pickup truck. "Let's see if we can find anything over there." Jane suggested.

I nod again. "Got it." I whisper. The four of us hustled over to the truck and crouched down behind it.

_"NO!" _

_"Sarah, we need to move!"_ Tess says.

_"I-I can't! I- no!" _

We gotta hurry...

Dylan peers into the back of the pickup truck. "Damn it. Nothing..." he sighed as he crouched back down.

_"You can't do this, Sarah! We gotta move!" _Nick says.

_"Daddy!" _Sarah cries.

_"Ow! What the fuck!" _I heard Luke groan.

Clem and I rush over to the pair of walkers, gaining their attention. Clem quickly kicks the one she was facing in the knee, knocking it down, and stabbed it in the head.

I followed her example and swept at the walker's leg, knocking it to the ground. I pull out my hunting knife and quickly stab it in the back of the head. "Hey, you two did the knee thing... Nice trick, huh?" Jane commented.

I nod. Definitely!

_"Sarah, listen to me. You have to snap out of it!" _I hear Tess try to reason.

Dylan looked over the barricade and went wide eyed. "Shit... you might wanna see this..."

Peering over it, I see at least a dozen walkers pounding and clawing at the door.

Oh, hell...

"That's a lot of walkers..." Clementine muttered.

"Totally..." Dylan agreed. "They looked pretty worked up about something."

"And what gets the interest of the dead?" Jane questions.

"People." I reply without missing a beat.

_"Sarah! What the hell!"_

"How do we get in?" Clem inquired.

"Hm... if we can make enough noise on this side... we can lure them away from the door and over here." Jane planned as she turned to a door on a trailer next to us. "Then we might just be able to go through that other trailer and get to your friends." She turns to us. "What do you think of that? I'm just making it up as I go along..."

"If you think that's best, I'm with you." Clementine says.

_"No! I can't! I can't! I can't!"_ I hear Sarah cry.

I looked back at the truck behind us.

"Bet that horn could work..." I think out loud. I walk over to it, open the door, and honk the horn a few times. I can see that a few walkers heard it, but went back to pounding on the trailer.

Well, shit...

"That's good... but we need something to keep it going..." Dylan pointed out.

Clementine walked over to the walker that I took out. I rose an eyebrow. "What're you thinking?" I inquire as I walk up to her side. "If we lean him the horn, it'll keep honking and draw the walkers..." Clem explained.

Oh... I got it!

"Good idea! Help me with this." I tell her as she and Dylan grab one arm and I grab the other. The three of us drag it over to the truck. I then lifted it into the driver's seat and laid its head down on the horn, causing it to let out a long honk.

The walkers hear it and start to stagger away from the door.

"It's working!" Clementine cries.

I grin. "Hell yeah!"

My grin falls when the walkers come towards the barricade and snarl as they try to reach us. "Come on!" Dylan yelled. We rushed into the trailer next to us. I dart in and skid to a halt when I see a female walker pounding on a window. Jane slowly creeps up on it.

I can hear Sarah's cries getting louder... we're close...

I then hear snarling behind us. I turn around and gasp as I see a walker coming towards Clem and I. Quickly, I shove Clem back before I take the knee out, causing the walker to collapse.

Jane takes out the female walker and turns to us. "Come on..."

Suddenly, the honking stops. The walkers started to head back towards the door.

"Crap... we gotta move it!" Jane exclaimed before we dart towards a door. Dylan kicked it open and we all rushed towards the front door leading into the trailer that Tess and the others are in.

Clementine tries to open the door, but the doorknob simply jiggled. "It's locked!"

"Then try something else!" Jane says as she pulls out her screwdriver. "I'll hold them off! Just get us in there!"

Dylan slammed his shoulder into the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Damn it!"

I kicked the door, but it refused to open. "Come on... open, you stupid piece of-!"

I grit my teeth and kick it harder, forcing it open.

YES! VICTORY!

Jane rushes up the stairs and shoves Clem inside before she grabs my arm and Dylan's shirt before practically yanking us into the trailer.

* * *

As I regain my footing, Jane slams the door shut just as walkers start to reach it.

"Help me block this! Hurry!"

Without a second thought, I rush over and help Jane, Dylan, and Clementine tip over a shelf. The shelf landed on the ground, creating a loud thud, blocking the door.

I then hear Sarah yelp.

"Sarah, please..." I heard Luke say. "Who's out there?!"

"Luke! Tess! Nick! It's us!"

As soon as I say those words, Tess, Nick, and Luke step out of a room.

"Clem?! Anne?!" Tess gasped.

"Thank God!" Luke sighed with relief. I could see him holding his side as the three stepped out of the room. "When we heard y'all banging through the door... I thought that the walkers had come to take what was left of us..."

"We gotta get moving..." Clementine stated as she looked around. Jane nodded. "I'll second that."

"Hold on, where's Sarah?!" I asked.

Nick looked back at the room they came out of. "We don't know what to do about her..." he told us.

"What's the matter?" Jane questioned.

Luke was silent for a moment. "You gotta help." he told us before he turned around and headed towards the room. The rest of us followed him. I rushed in and I saw Sarah huddled on the floor, unharmed.

I smile with relief as the rest enter the room.

Oh, thank god!

"Sarah, look. Look, it's Clem. See? And Anne. It's like we told you, they're okay." Luke told Sarah.

Sarah looked up at Clem and I, but didn't respond.

"They're here, Sarah..." Tess soothed.

The girl remained silent. "Sarah, come on, we gotta get outta here..." Nick attempted.

"What's she doing? Can you get up?" Clementine asked Sarah.

"We can't snap her out of it..." Tess shook her head. "I tried to carry her, but I... guess Carver messed me up pretty damn good back there..." Luke winces.

"After Carlos, she just lost it. She started running through the woods and we chased her for I don't know how long, and then- she saw the mobile home we're in and made a beeline for it." Tess explained. "I'm just glad you guys are here right now..."

I then hear the walkers pounding on the door.

"We're not outta the woods, yet." Jane pointed out.

"What are we gonna do about her?" Luke asked, referring to Sarah.

"LUKE!" Tess scolded.

"Maybe she'll listen to me? Clementine suggested.

Yeah... she's her friend, so...

The walkers pound on the door again. Jane looks at the front door, then back at us. "Listen, I- uh... They're gonna tear this place open pretty soon, so we gotta get her up, or we gotta..."

My eye widened. Is she suggesting that we...?!

NO!

NO WAY!

"All of us have been tryin' for hours, but we can barely get her to look at us." Nick explained as he turned to Clementine. "Clem? Anne?"

Clementine and I knelt down to Sarah, who shuddered as she hugged her knees to her chest. "Sarah? It's us. Clementine and Anne."

She looked up at us. "Hi..." she replied before looking back down.

Clementine leaned forward to hug her, but Sarah yelped and flinched. Clementine moved back. "Maybe it seems that you're all alone right now, but you're not." she told her.

Sarah sniffled. "Yes, I am."

"What about Luke? Tess? Nick? Jane? Dylan? Anne? And me? We came here because of you. All of us in the group, we're your family now, Sarah." Clem tells her.

"That's right, Sarah. We're family." I agree. Sarah whimpered in response.

The sound of a walker pounding on the window draws my attention. "Crap, we're surrounded..." Jane muttered.

Dylan looked up. "What about the skylight?"

I look up, seeing the skylight leading out to the roof. "It's all we got." Tess says.

"Clem, Anne, there's no time!" Jane hissed.

I glared at her before I looked back at Sarah.

"Clem... listen, Jane might be right..." Luke trailed off.

Tess hit his arm. "NO! We're NOT leaving her!"

"What the hell, man?!" Nick agreed.

Clementine looked back at Sarah. "When everything started, I met my friend Lee. He tried to help me find my parents. He protected me more than anything else in my whole life." I could see Clem have a smile on her face as she spoke, but it soon fell. "He died to keep me safe. I was so scared..."

Sarah looked up at us. "But you're still here..."

Clem nods. "Because he wanted me to be strong. Even when I'm scared. Because he wanted me to live."

I could see Sarah had a wide eyed look. "Sarah, your dad protected you because he wanted you to live. Carlos would still want that!" I told her.

Sarah looked down for a moment, like she was thinking deeply about what I said, before she slowly looked up at us, a little more calmer this time.

It's working!

With a smile, I reach into my pocket and pull out her glasses before handing them to her. Sarah takes them and puts them on.

I smile and hold out my hand. "Come on, Sarah... everyone's waiting for you..."

I then hear the walkers start to break through the door. Jane rushes towards the door with her knife. "Get to the skylight! Now!"

"C'mon, I'll boost ya!" Luke says to Clementine. As soon as he prepares to boost Clem up, he grabs his side and hisses in pain. Clem lands on her back. Ouch...

"What's going on back there?!" Jane yelled.

Luke winces. "My ribs... we're gonna need somethin' to stand on!"

"Like what?!" I demand.

"Luke! Help me hold this!" Jane requested. Luke darted over to Jane and helped her keep the door blocked with the shelf. "See what you can find guys! Hurry!"

"Clem, Tess, Dylan, stay with Sarah!" I order before I dart out of the room with Nick. Nick then looks at a milk crate. "Would that work?" he asked. I shake my head. "No, too small!" I told him. I then look at the furniture used to block the door. Looks like we got no choice...

"What about that?" I ask as I point at the furniture. "That could work!" Jane nods.

"What could-?" Luke noticed my gaze. "Aw, shit..."

"This is fuckin' nuts..." Nick shook his head. I give him a look before we grab the shelf with Luke and Jane. "On three! One... two... THREE!"

We move the furniture away from the door as Jane holds the door shut. Nick, Luke, and I begin dragging the shelf to the room Sarah is in. Just then, a walker bursts through the door, but Jane quickly stabs it in the head. "Anne! Help her!" Luke yelled.

I rush forward with my hunting knife drawn as I stab a walker in the head as it struggled to get in. As it went limp, Jane looked at me. "Get back to the others! Go!" she yelled. I nodded and run back to Nick and Luke just as Dylan runs out and helps Luke. I get on Nick's side of the shelf and help push it into the room. I look over my shoulder and see Jane fending off the walkers as they pile in. "Jane! It's through! Get in here!" I call. Jane stabs a walker before she darts into the room. I slam the door behind her just as she dives in. I lock the door and turn around just as Luke climbs onto the shelf, opening up the skylight. "Luke, you first. We need you up there." Jane ordered.

Luke nodded before Jane boosted him up. He climbed through the skylight and onto the roof. "Tess, you next."

With Nick's help, Jane boosts Tess up and Luke grabs her hand, pulling her through the skylight. Dylan then hops on next.

"Anne, come on! Get Sarah and get up here!" he yelled before Nick boosted him up. Jane gave Nick a boost and Tess and Dylan pulled him through.

I look back down at Sarah, who's still huddled on the floor. "Sarah! We have to get out of here!" I say. "Are you listening?!" Clem asks.

Sarah looked up at us with a scared expression. "I... I can't do it..."

"NOW, you two! Get up here!" Jane ordered. "If she doesn't wanna go, you can't make her! Don't let her take you down, too."

I growled. "We're NOT leaving her!" I roared before I turned back to Sarah. I crouched down in front of her as she flinched. "I can't! I can't! I can't! Daddy, I'm...!"

"Sarah, snap out of it! Please..." I pleaded.

"Don't make us leave you!" Clementine pleaded. "Dying like this is... stupid!"

"You can't save her... we have to go! Believe me... I know..." Jane looked away sadly as she spoke.

I let a growl escape my lips. "I'M NOT LEAVING HER!" I roared angrily.

NO WAY IN HELL I'M DOING THAT!

I then turned back to Sarah. "Sarah, come on! I won't leave you here!"

"Anne, Clem, Sarah! Hurry!" Tess called.

I looked back at Sarah. Gotta get her up!

Gritting my teeth, I reeled my hand back and slapped her across the face. "MOVE IT!" I snapped.

Sarah gasped and held her cheek. She looked at me with a shocked expression. YES, I SNAPPED HER OUT OF IT!

I grabbed her hand and helped her up with Clementine before she darted towards the shelf. She climbed up and Jane boosted her up. "TESS! GRAB HER!" I yelled as Clem and I climbed onto the furniture. Tess grabbed her and pulled her up as Jane boosted Clementine. I looked over my shoulder just in time to see the walkers burst through the door. I placed my foot on Jane's hands and she boosted me upwards. Clem and Tess grabbed my arms and pulled me up. I then reached down through the skylight and grabbed Jane's hand. Dylan grabbed her other hand and I grunted as we pulled her up together. Once Jane was on the roof, I leaned over, placed my palms on my knees, and panted.

Holy shit...

That... was WAY too close!

I glanced up and saw that more walker coming towards the trailer, their groans and snarls chorusing together.

I then shot a glare at Luke and Jane. They were gonna leave her!

"Tess... I-" Luke began.

I could see Tess glaring at Luke also. "We'll talk about his later..." she growled before we headed over to the other side of the roof.

I sat down on the edge and jumped off, landing on my feet. I nearly lost my balance, but I recovered and looked back up. I watched as the others jumped down and started to run. I waited for Sarah, Dylan, and Clementine to jump down before we ran into the woods with the others, away from the trailer park.


	22. Problems

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters **

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I glared at Luke as we walked down the path. He noticed my glare, because he looked back at me.

"What?"

"You know 'what'." I snap.

Luke sighed and stopped walking, drawing the others' attention as they stopped and looked at us.

"Look, we were in a tight spot, and-"

I cut him off. "You were gonna leave her!"

"I tried to get her up!" Luke defended himself. "Yeah, you tried, but you didn't try to get her up when we got that skylight open!" I shot back. "And that shouting at her didn't help either!"

"Walkers were coming! And with my ribs... what was I supposed to do?!" Luke asked.

"Oh, I don't know... get Sarah to get up?! TRY to help her snap out of it?!" I snapped.

"That's what I was trying to do with you guys for hours!" Luke says. "But she wouldn't even look at us! If Clem, Jane, Dylan, and Anne didn't get here..."

I frowned. "You're lucky Anne managed to convince her out of there... if she died..."

I trail off as I look at Sarah, who's standing behind Anne.

I shake my head and walk ahead of him and up to Nick. As I do, I look over my shoulder and back at him. "I swear, if you do that again, I will not hesitate to kick your ass."

And with that, I look back ahead of me and we resume walking.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I frown at Luke as we walk.

I never thought that he'd...

I shake my head.

Luke grunts as holds his side as he looks at Jane. "Look, I'd hate to ask this... but are we there yet?"

Jane scoffed. "We're not that far."

I look at Sarah, who is walking next to me. "Hey... sorry that I slapped you back there... couldn't think of any other way to convince ya..."

Sarah slowly looked up at me. "Why'd you slap me?"

I sighed. "Sarah... everyone is waiting for us to come back, and I didn't wanna leave you behind to get..."

I didn't dare to finish that sentence.

Sarah was silent for a moment. "Anyway... thanks... even though that hurt..."

I smile lightly. "Don't mention it."

I look back ahead of us, and I see Nick gripping his shoulder. I can see a small blood stain on it.

"Hey, Nick?" I called out. He looked back at me. "Yeah?"

"What happened to your shoulder?"

He looked at his shoulder. "Oh, this? I got shot back when we were escaping Carver's... Hurt like hell... Tess managed to stop the bleeding... while she was cleaning it out, she told me that..."

He trailed off as he and Tess exchanged a glance. Tess looked away sadly.

She told him about the baby... didn't she...?

"What'd she say?" Clem asks.

Tess sighed. "I'll... tell you later..." she says to Clem as we continue walking.

"I don't know about this..." Jane suddenly spoke, drawing our attention. "The way she is... She's gonna cause problems."

She's referring to Sarah...

I frown at her. "Lay off her, Jane. She's going through a lot right now."

Clementine glanced at the short haired woman ahead of us. "What happened back there? You looked like you were ready to help, but then you were just..."

Jane sighed. "Look, I'd just... I've seen that kind of thing happen before. I just didn't wanna stick around for the bitter end. Sorry... I... I don't mean to sound harsh."

It was Clementine's turn to sigh. "It's okay. I get it. Things aren't always that simple."

Jane then looked at me. "Just because you got her out of there today... doesn't mean you've saved her. Trust me, Anne."

I open my mouth to say something, but she cuts me off. "I tried to save Jaime too. But she... gave up."

Hearing this, I close my mouth. Oh...

I then hear Luke sigh. "I.. I can't believe it... soon as you said 'go', I was the first one on the roof... like I'd already made up my mind..."

Jane looked back at Luke. "Luke... you can't let it eat away at you..."

Luke frowned and walked up to Jane's side. "Well, I can't forget it..."

Tess frowns. "I know I can't."

Luke shot her a look and sighed.

Jane was silent for a moment, then she spoke. "I dragged my sister across four states. And every morning, she'd say she wasn't getting up. So I'd convince her. Or push her. Or goddamn carry her, if I had to."

By now, all of us are looking at Jane as we walk. "Until this time..." Jane looks straight ahead. "Walkers cornered us. Forced us up to the roof... and when they just kept coming... I... I couldn't make her jump... couldn't throw her."

She sounds like she's getting choked up...

"So I tried something else. I told her she could have what she wanted... and I left her there... Jumped to the next building over by myself."

Damn...

Jane narrows her eyes and looks straight ahead.

"You left your sister?" Luke asked incredulously. Tess frowns and hits him on the arm. "Luke!" she hisses.

"Jane... I'm really sorry..." Clementine said, voicing her pity.

Jane didn't respond to Clementine. "It killed me for a long time... but I finally realized that I'd put her on a forced march through hell when all she really wanted was for me to let her go... Sarah was that way, too..."

"Jane..." Luke warned.

"No regard for her own safety. Or ours."

"I wasn't gonna leave her behind!" I frowned.

Dylan walked up to my other side and looked at me. "I'm glad you didn't."

I smile lightly and nod. He smiles back.

"Come on... let's get back to your friends." Jane sighs as she walks ahead of us.

* * *

Moments later, we step through the brush and out of the woods. I can see Parker's Run ahead of us...

I pause for a moment and look at Sarah. "Come on... they're waitin' for us..."

She says nothing, but nods as we resume walking towards the entrance.

Mike, who had his back to us, turned around. "Son of a bitch... you found 'em!" he smiled.

"Yeah, I'm a little amazed myself, to tell you the truth..." Luke admitted. "If it weren't for Clem, Jane, Anne, and Dylan, well... I don't know what would have happened."

"TESS!" Emily cried out as she rushed forward and hugged her sister. "I'm okay, Emmy..." Tess whispered as she wrapped her arms around her.

Rebecca, with Bonnie's help, walks up to us. She looks at Sarah. "Sarah, how you doing, hon?" she asks kindly.

Sarah steps out from behind me and slowly walks up to her. Rebecca reaches out to her, but Sarah flinches. "That's okay, sweetie." Rebecca soothed. "Whenever you're ready. I'm just glad you're here."

Sarah silently headed over to the statue with Rebecca, Luke, Emily, Mike, and Tess.

"Hey. Anne." Nick called as he stepped up to me.

I rose an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Come on. I need to talk to you."

Confused, I followed him over to one of the displays. He then turned around and looked at me. "Back at the trailer, before you guys showed up... Tess told me she was pregnant..."

Ah, shit...

Nick sighed and shook his head. "I thought she was pulling my leg until she showed me her stomach... she told me that the only one she told was you..."

I rub the back of my neck.

"Why didn't either of you tell me? Or the group?" he asked me.

It was my turn to sigh. "Look, we already have Rebecca to worry about, since she's who-knows-how-close to having the baby, and to stress the group out even more..." I pause and shake my head. "She doesn't want anyone to get worked up about her."

Nick lets out a shaky sigh as he shakes his head. "I need a minute..." he muttered. And with that, he walked away from me, leaving me by the display.

* * *

God... Poor Nick...

I wonder if Tess told him about how she...

Pushing the thought out of my head, I sigh and begin to walk forward.

Suddenly, something jumps out at me.

"BOO!"

"GAH!" I yell and on instinct, I jump back.

I see Becca snickering with a smug look. "Gotcha!"

I growl. GODDAMN IT, BECCA!

"What the hell, Becca?!" I snapped.

"What? I couldn't resist!" Becca chuckled, but her smirk soon fell when she saw my glare.

"That wasn't funny! What if I had a gun and I shot you?!" I growled.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" Becca held her hands up in slight surrender. "What's gotten into you?! You're not usually like this!"

I frown and shake my head. "You need to start taking things seriously, Becca! This ain't the community! There ain't any walls protectin' us anymore! You can't just jump out at people to scare them! One of these days, you're gonna get yourself killed!"

FINALLY, I got that off my chest!

Becca had an impassive look. "Okay, already! I get it!"

I frown, shaking my head as I cross my arms.

She is SUCH a pain in the ass at times!

I then look past her, and I see Sarah silently standing with Rebecca and Bonnie. Becca follows my gaze. "So, you managed to convince that baby to move her ass?" she asked.

I glared at her. "Don't call her that."

She sighed. "Fine, I won't. But still, she almost got us killed back at the hardware store."

I shake my head. "No, she didn't. It was the plan."

"It got us outta there, didn't it?" Becca retorted.

"Yeah, but it also got Carlos and Sarita killed." I shot back. "And now... look at Sarah..."

I sigh. "Clem and I barely managed to get her out of the trailer when walkers started pouring in... we hadn't convinced her..."

I don't even want to THINK about what could have happened.

"Why didn't you leave her, then?" Becca asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shoot a frown towards her. "Cause I ain't leavin' my friends for dead, that's why." I retort.

Her eyes widen. Obviously, she's surprised by my answer.

I then shake my head. "I'm gonna go talk to Sarah..." I mutter as I begin to walk away from her.

Suddenly, I hear a loud cry.

"AAHH!"

Our gazes snap towards the group. Becca and I exchange a look before we rush towards them.

I see a liquid wetting the pavement below Rebecca.

My eye widened.

What the hell?!

"Oh shit! Does that mean what I think it does?!" Luke gasped as most of the group rushes up to Rebecca. Bonnie helps Rebecca stand just as I see Kenny and Clementine step out of a tent. "What're we supposed to do?!"

Tess rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know. Get her ready!"

"Are you okay? How does it feel?" Mike inquired.

"It feels WET, that's how it feels!" Rebecca hissed.

"What's going on?!" Clementine asked.

Bonnie looked at her. "Rebecca's water broke." she explained.

I gasped. WHAT?!

NOW?! OF ALL THE TIMES?!

"Oh shit!" I gasp out.

"Are you serious?!" Becca asked.

"YES, we're serious!" Rebecca hissed. She doubled over, but Bonnie caught her and helped her stand up. "We should... I don't know what we should do..." Bonnie muttered.

"Aw, fuck..." Luke swore.

"This is SO not good..." Nick muttered.

OBVIOUSLY!

"T-That means the baby's coming, right?" Clem asked.

Emily nodded. "Yeah... it does."

"Do you know anything about this?" I ask.

The crimson and raven haired woman shook her head. "No, but Kenny does." she explained. Bonnie looked at the bearded man and sighed with relief. "Kenny. Thank God. I think the baby's comin'. What do we do?" she questioned.

Kenny looked deep in thought. "Alright, guys. Gimme a second..."

"No way can Rebecca travel like this." Luke pointed out.

"He's right." Jane said. "She's gonna make a lotta noise. They'll be able to smell her, too."

"What do we do, then?!" I ask.

Kenny was silent, but Rebecca snapped him out of it. "Kenny, come on. You gotta focus..."

The man turned back around. "Right, right, sorry..." he apologized as he turned to us. "We'll need clean water and blankets."

"And we gotta get outta this damn cold, too." Chase adds.

He's right... it's getting colder every day...

Winter will be on our asses if we don't get stuff to keep warm, soon...

Dylan notices a map by the display case. "Hey guys, that map shows a couple of buildings near this place." he pointed out. "Maybe one of them could do the trick?"

Bonnie walks over to a sign and examines it. "Hm... the museum seems like it could be a good start. I'll go."

"Good idea. Mike, think you could go with her?" Luke asked.

The man nods. "Sure thing."

Jane suddenly speaks up. "I'll go check out the building by the river."

"Uh... okay then. Kenny, Shel, Tess, you stay with Rebecca. I'll go check the perimeter for walkers." Luke says. "Sarah?"

The girl doesn't respond.

"Sarah?" He tried again. But Sarah remains silent. I look down and notice that she's curled up in a ball by the wall behind us. "You just stay here with Rebecca, Kenny, and everyone else, okay?"

The girl is silent, but nods. "Nick, you stay with Tess. And while you're at it, be on the lookout for walkers and warn us if you see any." Luke ordered. Nick nodded as he was handed a Glock 17.

I hear Bonnie whispering to Clementine. "I'd love for you to give me and Mike a hand at the museum, but I was thinking... how do we know that Jane ain't just gonna take off? Maybe you should go with her, make sure she comes back..."

I peer over my shoulder and see Jane walk through an arch.

She better not take off...

"What do you mean by that?" Luke suddenly butts in.

"She doesn't seem to like bein' around people much. And she volunteered to head off awful fast... I guess it could be nothing..." Bonnie says.

"I trust Jane." Clem tells us.

Luke nods. "Yeah. I mean, Tess, Nick, and I wouldn't have made it back without her."

"And Sarah." I butt in.

"Just something to think about..." Bonnie explained.

Well, she's got a point.

Luke then turns back to the group. "Okay, we're looking for warm blankets, clean water, disinfectant..."

Rebecca looks up at Kenny. "D-Does that sound right?"

"Don't worry. Everything's gonna be fine." Kenny assured her.

Luke then turned to me. "Anne, what do you wanna-"

I cut him off. "I wanna check on Sarah before anything else." I say. He nods and turns back to the rest of the group. "Alright, everyone. You know what to do. Let's be fast, and let's be careful."

As we begin to split up, I kneel down in front of Sarah.

"Hey, Sarah..." I greeted.

Slowly, she looked up at me. "Hi..." she acknowledged.

"How're you doing?" I ask.

"Not good... I hope Dad gets back soon... t-then maybe, we can all go back to the cabin, where it's safe..."

My eyes widen at what she said.

She's in denial...

"Sarah... your dad's not coming back..." I say gently.

The raven haired girl sniffled. "Wh... wh..."

I close my eye sadly. "I'm sorry, Sarah..."

She sniffled before burying her face into her arms. Tess then walks up to us. "Anne, let me take it from here..."

I nod and stand up as Tess slowly sits next to her. I then walk over to Clementine. "So... where you going, Clem?" I ask.

She shrugged. "I don't really know... I wanna go with Mike and Bonnie, but... I kinda wanna go check on Jane..."

I crossed my arms and looked at the archway Jane went through. "Well, how 'bout you go help Bonnie and Mike first?" I suggest. "They could always use an extra hand in lookin' for supplies."

Clementine hesitated for a moment, then she nodded. "Okay..."

She started to walk forward, but stopped and turned back to me. "What about you?"

Her question catches me by surprise. "Uh..."

Haven't actually thought of that...

I rub the back of my neck. "Well... I, uh... don't know." I say truthfully. "Been too focused on what's goin' on..."

"Maybe you could come with me?" Clem suggests. "Like you said, they could always use an extra hand looking for anything useful."

I nod. "Yeah. That sounds like a good idea."

I then look over my shoulder. "Hey, Dylan?" I called. I caught his attention and moments later, he walks up to us. "Yeah?" he questioned. "Could you check on Sarah with Tess for me?" I request. "I'm heading out to the musuem with Clem."

He nods. "Sure thing, Anne."

"Oh, and watch my guitar." I add, noticing my guitar was still where I left it. Dylan smirks.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen out there." He says. "Just be careful. Don't get yourself hurt, okay?"

I nod. "Yeah, okay."

Dylan smiled at me one last time before he headed over to where Tess and Sarah were resting. I then feel Clem's gaze on me. I look down to see her smirking up at me. Oh, great...

I roll my eye. "What're YOU smiling at?" I ask, smiling a little myself.

"Nothing..." Clem smirks as we walk up to Mike and Bonnie, getting their attention.

"You comin', girls?" Bonnie asks. Clem nods, confirming this.

"Let's go." I say.

And with that, we head off towards the museum.


	23. A History Lesson

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Tess's POV**

As Anne, Bonnie, Mike, and Clementine left, I carefully took a seat next to Sarah.

As I did, I could feel the baby move a little bit.

Heh, it's gonna be a lot harder for me to sit on the ground now...

"Hey, Sarah..." I greet as I sit down next to her. She lifted her face from her arms and turned to me.

"Hi, Tess..." She acknowledged.

"You okay, sweetie?" I ask.

"I... I don't know..." She hesitated. "I just want my Dad... I-Is what Anne said true?"

I sighed. I should break this gently to her...

"I'm afraid so, sweetie... your father isn't coming back..." I say gently. "He's gone..."

Sarah sniffled. I gently wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to me as she quiety cried.

"Sshhh... Everything's gonna be okay..."

Sarah shed a few tears.

"Your father is watching over you." I say. She looks up at me. "R-Really?" she asks.

I nod. "Yes... Even though you can't see him now... he is..." I tell her as I gently rub her shoulder. Hearing this seems to comfort her slightly as her cries recede. "You good?"

"I... I think so... thanks, Tess..." Sarah says.

I smile. "No problem. I'm gonna go talk to Dylan real quick, okay?"

"Okay..."

Nodding, I stand up and head over to the dark haired teen. "Hey, Dylan." I greeted. He smiled back at me.

"Hey Tess. What's up?" he asks.

I smirk as I remember what he said to Anne before she left. "I've noticed you've been talking to Anne a lot recently."

He rose an eyebrow in confusion. "Yeah... why?"

"You like her, don't you?"

He immediately blushes and I grin. HA! I KNEW IT!

"I... I, uh..." he stammered. "I like her as a friend!"

That's what they all say...

He smacks his forehead as he mutters to himself, "Damn it, that came out wrong..."

I smirk again. "Oh yeah? What about that kiss on the cheek you gave her?"

He blushes even more. "That was for good luck!" he insists.

I roll my eyes. "Sure, whatever you say..."

"Uh... I gotta... go check on Anne's guitar." Dylan says before he quickly walks away from me. I smirk behind his back.

Heh... he likes Anne... I knew it!

A voice then pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Hey Tess."

I turn around and see my sister standing behind me. "Hey, Emily. What's up?"

I can see that she has a worried expression etched on her face. "It's Kenny... you think he's okay?"

Turning my head slightly, I see the bearded man sitting by the fountain. "I... I don't know..." I answer truthfully.

He just lost his girlfriend...

"After everything... you think he'll be able to help Rebecca?" she asks.

"Let's hope so. When this baby comes, hopefully he'll be able to deliver it." I say.

She nods. "I hope the others get back soon..." Emily says, referring to Anne, Clementine, Mike, and Bonnie.

"Yeah... me too." I mutter with a nod.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

The four of us crouch down as we hide behind a bush, observing a building. Two lone walkers are shown wandering in front of it. Apart from that, I could see several tombstones embedded in the ground by the building.

This must be it...

"I guess that's the place there..." Bonnie says, voicing my thoughts.

"Fuck, it's a wreck." Mike sighs.

Bonnie turned to look at him. "You ain't even been inside yet!" she whispered.

"Just look at it! Glass all blown out, walkers hanging around..."

"Well, no way to find out until we go and check it out for ourselves..." Bonnie reasoned.

"Maybe we can still find something in there...?" Clem shrugged.

Mike turned to her. "Yeah. Maybe..."

We were silent for a moment. Mike then sighed. "Sorry, guys. I just really want sticking with y'all to work out. And it's been hard so far."

Bonnie smiled slightly. "How about you make it up to us by helping out with those walkers over there?" she suggested.

"Yeah, alright." Mike nodded.

"Jane showed us a good way to attack them. If you take out a knee, they always go down. And then you can stab them in the back of the neck." Clementine explained.

I nod. "Yeah, it's pretty useful."

"A good smack to the head's always done fine for me." Mike said. Mike gets up holding a sledge hammer and heads towards the walkers. Clem, Bonnie, and I watch as he swings the hammer and takes a walker out with a single blow to the head. He then heads over to the other one and hits it, but fails to take the walker out with a single blow. The walker snarled and turned towards him.

"Oh crap!" Mike gasped as he backed away. The walker groaned as it staggered towards him, but Mike reacted quickly and slammed the hammer into the walkers head, putting it out of its misery.

Wow...

Clem, Bonnie, and I get up, walk past the tombstones, and towards him as he turns back to us. Clementine smiles and crosses her arms. "So the knee is about halfway down the leg."

I snicker. Ooh, good one, Clem.

Mike nods. "Yeah, okay."

Bonnie then looked at us. "Well, let's do this before more of 'em show up."

We nod and step into the museum. "Watch out for the broken glass." Bonnie advises. "It's all over."

I look down and notice that there is indeed broken glass everywhere.

"Damn..." I mutter to myself.

"Somebody's already been through here." Mike pointed out. "Guess that's not a surprise. Still... might be something worthwhile left here. Let's check it out."

I nod. "We're gonna have to be fast if we wanna get back to the others." I point out.

"Let's just make this a sweep. I really don't wanna go back empty handed." Mike says.

"Yeah, me too." I agree.

And with that, we split up.

"Keep one eye on the woods while we're in here. I don't want nothin' sneakin' up on us." Bonnie tells Mike.

"I'll watch this side, you watch the other." Mike tells her as he begins rummaging through a box.

Bonnie smiles. "Deal."

I walk over to a water cooler. Hm, maybe there's some water left?

I push the button, but nothing comes out.

I roll my eye. "Empty. Of course..." I mutter to myself.

"You think they say stuff about water and blankets just get people out of the way?" Mike inquired.

"Oh, you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about. And you didn't have to come with me." Bonnie chuckled.

"No, I wanted to... ah, never mind." Mike muttered as he went back to searching the box.

I look to my left and see a quote painted on the wall.

"_'Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. -Abraham Lincoln'_" I read aloud.

"Huh?" Clem questions as she walks up to me.

I smirk. "Oh, just readin' a quote here." I explain as I turn back to the wall.

"Do you know what it means?" Clementine asked. I shook my head. "Nope. No idea." I admitted.

"Didn't Chase say he was into Civil War stuff?" Bonnie called to me.

I blinked, remembering what he said back on the night of our escape. "Yeah... he did. Huh, should have asked him to come." I shrug.

"Bet that kid would be all over the place." Mike chuckled.

The image of Chase darting back and forth examining the stuff here pops into my mind and I mentally snicker. Shaking my head, I walk away from the wall and head over to Clementine, who was examining a souvenier stand. Bonnie smiles and looks at Clementine from where she was standing.

"Souveniers, huh? Lookin' for a keychain with your name on it?"

Clementine shook her head. "No. Why would I want a keychain? I don't even have any keys."

Bonnie blinked. "Ah. Good point."

I turned back to the souvenier stand. "I gotta say, this stuff is pretty cool." I comment as I walk away. I then examine a display. It had an old cannon, as well as a stack of cannonballs.

"Ooh..." I awed as I examined them.

Now I know why Chase is into this stuff...

"Do ya think these work anymore?" I inquire.

Mike shook his head. "Nah, those are just for show." he explained.

Damn it.

"They'd be handy, though." Mike shrugged. Bonnie looked at him. "Also really loud." the woman pointed out.

"Heh. Good point." Mike agreed before he went back to rummaging through the box.

Bonnie looks at the floor. "There's sure been some animals through here. Watch where you step, guys." She advises.

I weave my way past some broken glass on the floor as I walk over to Clementine, who had picked up something. She smiled. "Hey, look at this! An old coat!" she called.

Bonnie smiled. "Nice! Good find, Clem."

I examine the coat. Ooh, looks like it's from the Civil War...

"You should hang onto that, Clem." I tell her. Bonnie nods. "It's gonna get a lot colder than it's gonna get warmer. And SOMEONE could use it."

"Maybe Rebecca could use it?" Clementine suggested.

Hm, that's a good idea!

"That's a good idea. I'm sure she'll really appreciate it. I guess you and Anne already got those jackets I gave you..." Bonnie smiled. At this, I see Clementine look down at her blue coat.

"Yeah. Thanks, Bonnie." I say, remembering my leather jacket she gave me.

Bonnie's smile fell. "I feel so bad... about everything that happened. Hopefully you won't always think of me like that... Not that I'd blame you if you did. I haven't always used the best... judgement."

I can tell she means that...

"Hey, you're with us now, Bonnie. That's what matters most, I guess." I said with a shrug.

Just then, Mike walks up to us. "Whatcha got there?" he asked.

"Clem found a jacket." Bonnie explained.

Mike looked down at the folded up jacket Clementine held in her hands. "That's great, but uh, isn't grey the, ya know, uh...?"

I look back down at the jacket. It's grey...

Wasn't grey was the color of-?

Realization hits me.

Oh...

"We can't put Rebecca in a CONFEDERATE coat." Mike said. Bonnie's eyes widen. "Oh... I didn't even think about that."

"Guess it's better than nothing, though." Mike shrugged as he headed back over the box. Clementine and I exchanged a look before we split up again. I then walk over to Bonnie as she examines an old display. "Find anything yet?"

"Nope, not so far." Bonnie shook her head. "But let's keep lookin'."

I nod. "Got it."

Bonnie then turned her head to look at the tombstones outside.

"I tell ya, I sure don't like bein' near a graveyard with the world the way it is now." Bonnie muttered.

"Way things are now, you're in a graveyard ALL the time." I hear Mike point out.

"Yeah... true enough."

"Definitely." I agree.

I shake my head before I head over to the box Mike was examining by a ticket booth. I peer in, but see nothing useful.

Oh, come on...

I step to the side as Clementine moves the box. I then let a groan escape my lips. "Is anybody finding ANYTHING?"

Bonnie looked over at me. "Well, unless you want some broken glass and posters talking about the Civil War... nothing."

I sigh as I cross my arms. "You know what I wish was here? One of those goddamn swords that generals used in the Civil War. Now THAT would be useful." I mutter.

Mike smirks at me. "Oh yeah. That would be a hell of a way to take out walkers."

I chuckle at myself as I head over to the door leading into the ticket booth. I grab the doorknob, but it jiggles in my hand. "Damn it. Locked..." I sighed.

I then hear Clementine grunting a little as she opens the shutter, but she only managed to open it just a bit. I bend down and peer through the gap. There's some kind of container in there...

My eye widened.

It's a jug of water! Clean water!

HELL YES!

"Hey guys! Over here!" I called. Mike and Bonnie walked over to us.

"What'd you guys find?" Mike asked.

"There's water in there! Bottled and clean!" I say.

Bonnie smiles. "Just what we need!" she said before attempting to open the door. "It's locked... you wanna kick it down?"

"That'd make a lotta noise." I pointed out.

"Yeah, maybe. You know, if somebody was small enough... maybe they could squeeze through that gap?" Bonnie suggested.

"Well, I could try and pry it open some more, but I don't know if that'll help any..." Mike shrugged.

Clementine sighed. "I'll go..."

I nod. "When you get in there, just open the door from the other side, okay?" I tell her.

The younger girl nodded at me before she lifted herself up and tried to squeeze through the gap, but ended up getting stuck halfway. "Ugh... I'm stuck, guys."

Well, that's just great.

Bonnie and I knelt down and peered through the gap.

"Hm... maybe if we push from..." Bonnie muttered as she tried to figure out a way to get through.

"How about-" I begin, but I cut myself off when I see a hand appear behind the counter. A walker then pulls itself up and grabs Clementine's wrist!

"AHH!"

"SHIT!" I exclaim as Bonnie and I grab Clem's legs and try to pull the girl out. As we do, Mike rushes over to the door and tries to kick it open. After a third kick, he forces the door open and rushes inside. Mike pulls the walker away from Clementine and CHOKESLAMS it into the wall and pins it to the ground just as Bonnie and I pull Clementine out. As soon as Clem's feet hit the floor, we rush over to the door and see Mike holding the walker down. "Kill it!" he yells. Clementine pulls out a screwdriver and quickly puts the walker out of its misery.

"Well..." Mike pants as he gets to his feet. "That happened."

"Could have been worse, right?" I pant.

"Guess I'm... not quite as small as I used to be..." Clementine gasped out.

"You're tough for your size." I say.

"Hell, you're tough for MY size." Mike remarks.

Bonnie looked down at Clementine. "I'm so sorry about, Clementine. We should have been more careful..." Bonnie apologized.

"Hey, we didn't know there was a walker in there, Bonnie. Nothing we could do about it." I tell her.

My gaze wanders over to the corner and I see ANOTHER jug of water!

"WHOO! JACKPOT!" I happily exclaim.

"Alright!" Mike smiles. "Now we've got something to bring back."

"I'll keep checkin' the other room." Bonnie tells us as she heads back to the main room. Mike, Clem, and I step into the ticket booth. "Come on, guys. Let's get this water." Mike says as he picks up one of the jugs.

I watch as Clementine heads over to the water jug on the floor and struggles to pick it up. She's not having any luck so far.

"You need any help?" I smirk.

Clementine shook her head. "No, I got it, Anne." she grunts as she tries to pick it up again, but fails. Mike chuckled and walked over to her. "Hey. I got this." he told her before lifting up the other water jug and carries BOTH of them out with ease.

Whoa!

How can he carry both of those?!

Clementine follows him. I shake my head and quickly follow her as she reaches Mike's side.

"Man, that looks pretty heavy." I remark.

"Eh, it's alright. I know it looks like a lot, but we could all go through this pretty quick." Mike says.

He's got a point...

"Carver was pretty damn crazy, but at least his shelves were always full..." Mike muttered as he set the jugs down. "You're right. I thought it looked like so much..." Clementine agreed. "That baby's gonna be hard on everyone. Especially Rebecca. And between you and me... she's not looking too good..." Mike tells us.

"Yeah..." I nod. "She has been lookin' pretty pale..."

Rebecca really needs her rest... she needs the energy...

"Hey! Guys!" I hear Bonnie whisper. We look up and see her by a display gesturing for us to come over.

What'd she find?

We crouched down behind a display as I see a grey, furry thing by a door.

A raccoon!

"It just walked on in like it owned the place. Figure it'd make a nice meal." Bonnie tells us.

Clementine rose an eyebrow. "We can eat raccoon?"

Mike peered over the edge of the display and muttered in a completely deadpan tone, "I'd eat the shit out of that raccoon..."

What...

Clem, Bonnie, and I gave him a look. He realized what he said. "Not like... I mean. Just that I'd really be happy to eat that raccoon. I am starving." he corrected himself.

Bonnie, Clementine, and I grinned at each other as I struggled not to snicker. That totally came out wrong!

"Fresh meat would go a long way with Rebecca." Bonnie told us. Suddenly, I hear a screeching noise. We peer around the corner seeing the raccoon looking at us and hissing before it scurried away.

Damn it! Must've heard us!

We all jump up to our feet. "Shoot! Don't let it get away!" Bonnie yelled as I flick out my knife and pounced for it.

HEEEEERRE'S ANNIE!

Suddenly, the raccoon scrambled away and I landed flat on my face.

"OW! Damn it!" I hiss as the raccoon scrambled away to a hiding spot.

"Where is it?" Mike asked as I jumped to my feet. I observe the area, looking for any trace of that furry critter...

"Come on... where are ya, ya little rascal...?" I mutter to myself, my knife at the ready.

"Over there!" Clementine exclaimed as she pointed towards the staircase. I followed her gaze and saw the raccoon hiding behind the staircase hissing at us.

A-HA!

We scrambled over to the entrance and prepare to catch it. Bonnie dived for it, but it scrambled out of the way. "Oh! Ah, shit!" Bonnie cursed.

Clem and I got ready as I came our way.

"Now you're mine!" I exclaim as I dived for it, but it scrambled to the side. "OW! DAMN IT!"

Clementine pounced for it, but missed. "Shoot!" she hissed as I climbed to my feet. Mike and Bonnie rushed to our side as the raccoon scurried out to the tombstones outside. As it stopped by one and hissed at us, Mike pulled out his gun and aimed at it, but Bonnie placed her hand on the gun and had him lower it. "Not with the walkers out there. It'd make too much noise." She shook her head.

Just then, two smaller raccoons stepped out from behind the larger raccoon.

My eye widened.

Aw...

Seeing this, I put my knife away. Once the raccoon saw we weren't gonna chase it anymore, it stopped hissing and scurried away into the forest with its family.

Mike rubbed the back of his neck. "Now I'm even hungrier than I was before. How'd I get to a place where I'm SAD I'm not eating raccoon?" he asked as he placed his palms on his hips.

"Well, I'm sort of glad it got away. It had a family." Clem said.

Mike smirked. "Yeah... me, too."

"Though, I gotta admit... that was kinda fun." I remark.

Bonnie smiled. "Yeah... I guess it was. Come on, let's get this back to Rebecca and the others. We don't have much time to waste."

Mike nods and picks up the water jugs as we head out of the musuem. Bonnie then chuckles and looks at me.

"I gotta say... it was pretty hilarious seein' ya fall flat on your face." She chuckled again.

I roll my eye as Clementine snickers.

"Ha ha, very funny..."


	24. Russian Roulette

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Tess's POV  
**

I sighed as I sat down on a bench near a map. The sky was a reddish-purplish color, meaning it was starting to get late. I would admire it, but with the situation right now... there ain't time for that kind of stuff.

I wonder if those guys are okay?

I looked up and watched as my sister walked up to Kenny. The bearded man sat on the fountain looking at Rebecca as she leaned against a pillar. "Hey, Kenny..." I heard her say.

"Hey, Em..." Kenny sullenly greeted.

"You... okay?" I heard her question.

"No, not really. You?" he sighed.

"No. I just found out my father was a madman. He beat your eye in, he killed Reggie and your friend back at the lodge, he held Anne hostage and nearly shot her, not to mention slap her... he let Mom die... just over a scratch..."

Mom...

Remembering her smiling face, I felt a tear roll down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away. I listened closely as Emily and Kenny talk.

"My girlfriend just died..." Kenny muttered.

"Clementine was trying to save her..." I heard Emily say.

"I know... but... I got so mad at her..." he sighed.

"You should apologize to her..." Emily told him.

"I don't know if I can or not..." Kenny told her. Emily looked at him. "I think you can." she assures him. Hearing that, I find myself smiling a little.

That's my sister!

"Anyway... thanks, Em."

"No problem, Kenny."

As Emily gets up and leaves Kenny so he can help Rebecca, I turn my attention to Chase, who was inspecting a display nearby. Getting up from my spot, I walk over to the teen. "Whatcha lookin' at?" I question.

"Just some stuff on Parker's Run." He shrugged. "Man, I kinda wished I went to the museum with 'em..."

"So you could gawk at more stuff there?" I ask.

He smirked. "Maybe..." he drawled. "Speaking of the museum, shouldn't they be back by now?"

I shrug. "Well, they might still be looking for stuff, so..."

I trail off as my eyes wander over to one of the entrances. I can see four figures in the distance. I squint to get a better look.

It's them! They're back!

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I smirk as Bonnie looks at Mike, who was carrying the water jugs with NO problem.

Seriously, how does he do that?!

"You're tellin' me your arms ain't tired?" Bonnie questioned.

Mike shook his head. "Nope, I could do this all day."

Clem and I exchange a look and smirked at each other. I bet he's trying to impress her...

As we reached the memorial, we caught the attention of the others.

"Hey, y'all! We're back!" I called. Dylan walked up to me and smirked. "How'd it go?" he asked. "Well, we found some water. Also found a raccoon there, but it got away." I explained, remembering the raccoon's family.

"Oh?" Dylan quirked an eyebrow.

Clementine stepped up to us. "We found a raccoon and tried to catch it, but it had a family, so we let it get away." she explained.

Dylan nodded. "That's good."

She then smirked. "Anne fell on her face when she tried to catch it."

Dylan smirked as I blushed lightly. "Oh, really?"

"Yep. She fell flat on her face when the raccoon got out of the way." Clem explained with a smile.

I roll my eye. "Oh, shut up."

I saw Rebecca leaning against a pillar. "I'm not supposed to be in labor yet, Kenny! What if something's wrong?" Rebecca questioned as she looked at Kenny, who was sitting by the fountain. "Nothing's wrong. Baby's know how to be born." he said.

"How you doin', Bec?" Bonnie asked as she, Dylan, Clem, and I walked over to them. "Okay... I'm doing okay. How did it go with you guys?" she inquired.

"Musuem's a bust. All the glass walls were shattered. It'd be impossible." Mike explained as he set the water jugs down.

"Place was picked over pretty damn good. Lotta folks must have been in there before we were." I shrug.

"A walker almost got us, but luckily, Mike was there to help finish it off." Clementine told Rebecca. Mike smiled modestly. "Clem's the one who finished it off."

Rebecca looked down at the water jugs. "Looks like you also found some water!"

Luke then trudged up to us holding his assault rifle. "Good. We save all that for Rebecca. Anyone who gets thirsty, you can go to the river."

Mike picks up the water jugs and sets them down near the tent as Clementine walks over to Rebecca. "Hey, Clem. Glad you made it back safe." she told the younger girl. "How're you feeling?" Clem asked.

"Scared... and it hurts..." the pregnant woman answered.

I... bet it does...

"I wish Alvin was here."

I feel my heart sink at the mention of our dead friend. Alvin... he was one of the nicest people I knew...

"He was a great man, Bec..." I say as I walk up to her. "Everything that he did was for you and the baby. Back at Carver's... in the office... he stayed behind to stop the people chasing us. He died to keep us safe."

Rebecca sighed. "I know it's a waste of time, but I can't stop thinking about things I should've said to him... Things that I should have talked to him about..."

"I think you're gonna be a good mom." Clem says.

"Really?"

Clem nods. Rebecca smiles. "Thanks..."

Suddenly, she grunted. "Oh shit..."

"I got this, you two." Kenny says as he walks to Rebecca's side. "I'm worried that we ain't seen Jane in a while..."

The two of us exchange a look before we walk away from Kenny and Rebecca.

Tess walks up to us. "Hey, guys. How'd it go?" she asked. "There were a couple walkers there, but we took care of 'em. We also got some water." I told her as I gestured to the water jugs. She smiled. "That's great! Nice job." She praised.

I then took a quick look around the place. I see the others, but... where's Jane?

"Jane's not here?" I questioned.

"She went back to check the place out." Tess explained. "Luke's been keeping an eye out with Nick. Kenny, Shel, and I have been helping Rebecca. Becca's just... doing her thing."

"What about Sarah?" I ask, wondering about the raven haired girl.

"She's doing better. I talked to her, so she seems to be doing okay." Tess told me.

"Did Jane take off?"

"I don't know. Clem, you wanna go check and see if she's still there?" Tess asked

Clementine nods. "Sure."

"I'll go with ya." I told her. She nods and heads towards the archway, but I stop and look back at Tess. "You keep an eye on Rebecca, alright?"

Tess smirked. "That's what I've been doing." she replied. I smirk back at her before Clementine heads over to the archway and waits for me there. I walk over Shel, who was by the fountain with Becca. "Hey, you two." I greeted.

"Hey, Anne..." Shel replied.

"What're you thinkin' about?" I ask. Shel's gaze wanders over to Rebecca. "I'm worried about Rebecca. Havin' a baby can be rough on a woman, even in a nice clean hospital..." she tells me. "Does she have a chance out here?"

"You think there's anything we could use where Jane went?" Becca asked. I shrugged in response.

"Dunno... Clem and I are gonna go check on her..." I say.

Becca nods. "You do that then."

I nod back and I head towards the archway, finding Clementine talking to Sarah, who was sitting by the arch. "Hey, Clem. You ready?" I question. She looks back at me and nods. "Yeah."

"Let's go, then." I say. She nods and we walk through the archway.

* * *

After a moment of walking down the path, we found an exit leading into an empty yard. Up ahead, I could see several picnic tables, as well as a building.

"Jane! Where are ya?" I call out as we walk towards the building.

I look around, hoping to find something useful, but see nothing.

"Hey! Clementine! Anne! Up here!"

I jump slightly, but look up to see Jane waving down to us from a set of stairs leading up to an observation deck.

Ah, there she is!

We climb up the stairs and find Jane peering through a closed gate. She then looked at us. "Oh, hey. Museum was a bust, huh?" she asked.

"Well, we found water. A lotta water." I inform her.

"Well, it's something, at least." Jane shrugged. "Check this out. This gate's still locked, which means that hopefully no one's gotten to whatever was locked in there in the first place. I've been trying to get this thing open, but it's locked down pretty tight." she sighed as we turned towards the gate. "That could be a place for Rebecca to have the baby." Clementine suggested.

Jane smiled. "Yeah. That's what I was thinking." She then reached into her pocket and pulled out the nail file she had found from that walker back at the trailer park. "Hm... maybe I can pick the lock?"

Clementine rose an eyebrow. "The nail file?"

Jane smirked. "Versatility is not overrated."

She knelt down and tried to pick the lock. "You know, uh... it wouldn't hurt to try a heavier hand with this thing. You two see if you can find something bigger. We might need to bust the mechanism."

I nodded. "Sure."

Clem and I then began to search the deck. I peered into a trash bin, but saw nothing.

"You find anything over there?" Jane asked.

I sighed. "Nope. Nothin'. There ain't even trash in this thing."

I enter the room next to the trash can and noticed a second set of stairs leading downstairs. I also see several posters, so I examine one. It had a couple photos from the Civil War, as well as an old quote and some info on the Civil War.

"Heh, Chase would absolutely love to be up here right now." I smirk to myself.

I step out of the room and back onto the deck. I see Clem peering through one of the telescopes. "I guess it's broken..." I hear her mutter. I then walk over to the cannon on the deck.

"Ooh..." I awe. "Think these still work?" Clem inquired.

"Heh, check the muzzle, Napoleon. They fill 'em with cement so they're safe." Jane explained to Clementine. I peer into the muzzle, seeing mostly gray.

DAMN!

"Aww... would've been an awesome way to take out walkers..." I whine.

Jane chuckled. "You're tellin' me."

As Clem and I search the deck, we head over to a board containing info on Parker's Run. It was talking about The Battle at Parker's Run. I was about to read it, but Jane's hiss of pain caught my attention.

"Ow! Shit!"

"You okay?" Clem asks.

Jane nods. "Yeah, I almost had it there."

I turn back around and look out at the river ahead of us. It blended in nicely with the color of the sky. "Heh, haven't been able to enjoy a view like this in a while." I remark as Clementine peers through a second telescope.

"There's some buildings across the river. I think I can see a church..." Clem called. I peered towards the forest across the river and I could see the outline of a couple buildings. "They look pretty far away..." I comment.

"The nearest river crossing is miles up. Rebecca wouldn't make it in her condition." Jane told us.

"Well, maybe after she has the baby, we could-"

Clementine's voice cuts me off. "Jane! Anne! There's someone coming towards us."

My eye widened and I crouched down with Clem and Jane as we crouched behind a gate. I looked down and I could see a boy in his late teens wearing a purple jacket coming towards the observation deck. I could see he had a leg brace on and walked with a limp. He also held some kind of bag in his hands.

"Shit shit shit! He's coming this way." Jane hissed. "And who knows if he has friends nearby?"

"Can we fight him?" Clem questions.

"Could be too risky. I didn't get a good look at him from here. But we should scope him out and see what he's up too. I don't like having some stranger sneaking around so close to the others." Jane then turns to us. "We got enough on our hands with a baby on the way... Last thing we need is someone telling their friends about the new easy targets in the neighborhood..."

"Maybe I can try talking to him?" Clem suggested.

Jane nodded. "Good call."

I then hear the sound of metal squeaking. I peered around the gate and saw the mysterious teenager coming up the stairs.

"Shit." Jane hissed. "Hide. Now!"

Clementine hid behind the cannon and Jane dragged me into the other room and down the stairs. Jane held a finger to her lips, signaling for me to be quiet. I could hear the sound of metal squeaking get louder as the teenager came up to the trash bin. I then heard Clementine say, "Hey."

The teen jumped, pulled out a revolver from behind his back, and aimed it at Clementine. My eye widened, but I could see he was trembling as he aimed at Clementine.

"Hi... I just want to talk to you..." Clementine said cautiously. I could see the teen didn't respond, but kept shaking as he aimed the gun at her.

I swear to God, if he pulls that trigger...!

"Who are you? Can you understand me?" I hear Clementine ask.

Finally, the teen answers. "Yes. I am Arvo. I'm going to go. I don't want to shoot."

I can hear the teen has a slight accent.

Jane slowly creeps up the stairs, surprising me.

Gah, Jane, what're you doing?!

"I don't want to shoot anyone. Especially a..." Arvo pauses and says something in a language I don't understand. "A, uh, little girl."

"Okay... I'll go." I hear Clementine say.

Suddenly, I see Jane grab Arvo and disarm him quickly.

What the hell!

I see Jane point the gun at the teenager. "Back up. Put the bag down."

My eye widened and I darted up the stairs and onto the deck as Arvo put the bag on the ground. "Clem, make sure he doesn't have any other weapons in there." Jane told Clementine.

"What the hell!" I snap at Jane.

"No, I have no more guns! I swear to you!" Arvo exclaims as Clementine unzips the bag and pulls out a container of pain killers. Now that he's closer, I can see that the teen, Arvo, wears glasses. I peer into the bag from where I stand and silently gasp. There's a TON of meds in there!

"Whoa..." Jane gasps as she looks at the bag. "That's a serious stash of meds."

"No no no no no! Take whatever you want, but don't take the medicine! Please! It's for my sister!" Arvo pleaded. "My older sister is sick. The pain makes her cry and makes those things come. Please. This medicine is all she has."

"Wait, if it's for your sister, why are you hiding it in the garbage?" Clem questions.

"I need to keep it... I need to keep it safe." Arvo replied quickly.

Something's not right...

Jane narrowed her eyes. "Sister or not, we could really use that stuff.

Arvo's eyes widened. "No! You are not nice people! You have already left me defenseless and now you take my sister's medicine?!"

"What?! You wanna rob this guy?!" I snap.

"Anne, we have people who are suffering! Who need this medicine. Luke's still a wreck after Carver, Kenny's a mess, Rebecca's in pain, Nick's got that bullet wound-"

I interrupt her. "Nick's fine, Jane. Tess cleaned it out, remember?"

"Yeah, but Anne, Clementine, look at all of it! We need this stuff!" Jane said.

"My people are suffering just as much as yours! You are not special!" Arvo says before he turns to Clem and I. "'Anne' and 'Clementine', yes? You must believe me."

"We don't believe a fucking word about your 'sick sister'." Jane snapped. I frowned at her. God, first the incident at the trailer park, and now this!

"Please don't make my sister suffer! She has been through enough!"

"Oh yeah? Well, I think you're just some junkie. You know what that means?"

"Jane!" I snap.

"I'm telling the truth!" Arvo insisted.

"I don't believe any of this. MEDICINE, you two. Medicine!" Jane tell Clem and I.

I frown and shake my head. "I ain't stealing it from him."

As I say this, Clementine places the painkillers back in the bag. Jane's eyes widened. "You're not taking them, either?"

Clementine shook her head. "I'm not robbing anybody, either. Just let him go, Jane." she told her. Arvo's eyes widened before he said something in... what I think was Russian. "Thank you, Clementine and Anne. Thank you."

"You're welcome." I reply.

He then looked at Jane nervously. The short haired woman looked down at the ground before she glared at Arvo. She grabbed Arvo, pushing him against the railing, and held the revolver to his temple, making him gasp nervously.

"Jane, what the hell!" I yell.

"What are you doing? You don't have to do this... let me go, please..." Arvo pleaded.

"Jane, don't do it!" Clem told her.

"Don't kill him!" I exclaim.

Jane looked back at us, then looked at Arvo. "Don't you EVER come near here again. I don't care if you do have some sick sister. The next time I see you around this place again... you won't just be walking away." Jane growled as she shoved him away from the railing. "Go. Get out of here."

Arvo picked up the bag and limped towards the stairs and away from the observation deck as we watched. Jane then dropped the revolver she took from the teen and leaned against the railing. "I can't believe I've gotten into this mess... threatening some stupid kid..."

Clementine frowned at Jane. "I thought we were just gonna talk to him."

"And you didn't have to take his gun!" I snap as I cross my arms.

Jane looked back at us. "I needed to make sure he didn't come back here again!" She snapped back. She then walked towards the gate. "Go get the others... I'm gonna get this place opened up, then we need to get moved in ASAP..."

She sounds like she was gonna cry...

I shake my head as Jane returns to trying to open the gate as Clem and I head down the stairs.

* * *

As we reach the bottom step, I see Luke walking towards the building. Clem and I exchanged a look before we walked up to Luke, getting his attention. "Clem! Anne, hey! Any luck with that observation deck?" he questioned. "I was just checking on Rebecca, Kenny, Tess, and Dylan and they said they haven't heard from you in a while. I don't guess there'd be much, but Jane seems pretty resourceful. God knows we could use a break..."

"Jane, Anne, and I were trying to open up the gift shop and a stranger showed up." Clementine explained truthfully.

Luke's eyes widened. "What?! Shit... this is the last thing we need right now..."

"Jane scared him off. I don't think he'll be comin' back." I say.

"Well, that's good." Luke said. "Is Jane still up there now?"

I nod. "Yeah. She's still trying to get that gift shop opened for us."

Luke sighed. "You know, I can't figure her out." Luke told us. "I mean, she really lays it on the line, but... at the same time, she doesn't show you anything that counts."

"I like her. She's honest, and she knows what she's doing." Clem says.

Luke nodded. "Yep. That's more than I can say for some. Jane seems like the kind of person that gets tempered by hardship, you know? But, when I look at Kenny now... he just seems broken, and broken people get reckless." He looked down at Clementine. "I know you got a history with him. Look, I think he's a good guy, or at least started as a good guy. But I think he's had to take more than he can handle."

He did seem to be staring off into space a couple times earlier today... and with what happened to Sarita... God...

"You're wrong. Kenny's stronger than anyone. He tries to protect us." Clementine crosses her arms as she speaks.

Luke sighed. "I don't know, Clem..."

"Luke, he voluntarily gave up at the lodge so no one else would get killed." I say, remembering when Carver held that gun to my temple. The man sighed and looked at us. "I can't stop thinking about what Tess did to Carver..."

I cross my arms. "That bastard deserved it. He killed Walter and Reggie, he beat Carlos to lure Rebecca out of hiding at the lodge, he bashed Kenny's eye in, he let Tess's mother get eaten alive cause she was a 'threat' and a 'liability', he tortured Alvin and beat him to a bloody pulp, he took us back to that fucking community by force, he forced us to work our asses off, AND he held me hostage and almost put a bullet in my freakin' head!"

As I finished my rant, Clementine asked, "What would you have done, then?"

Luke shook his head. "I... I don't know..."

I sighed and shook my head. "We should tell the others about the deck." I bring up.

"Yeah, good. I'll, uh... I'll see ya back there." Luke nods.

And with that, Luke heads towards the stairs leading up to the deck. I then sigh.

"Anne...?"

I blink. "Hm?"

"What happened... with Tess's mother?" Clem asked.

I closed my eye for a moment.

I guess I should let her know...

"Clem, it just... it just happened so fast, you know? I was out lookin' for supplies with Tess, Coleen, and Carver, but I bet he was just lookin' for Rebecca and the others... A walker snuck up on Coleen and scratched her on the arm. When Carver saw it, I saw the look in his eyes... like he was ready to throw something away. Like he was tossing her away like some broken toy. No sooner than that, more walkers started showing up. We started running, but Coleen tripped and walkers started cornering her."

I paused for a moment and shook my head. "As soon as that happened, Carver didn't even BOTHER to go back to help Coleen. When we tried to help, he just dragged us away as she was... He just let her suffer. He didn't even care to try and save his ex-wife. He said she was a 'danger' and a 'liability' to the community. He didn't even TRY to save her. We could've cut off her arm, but no... he just... let her die..."

I sighed. "As soon as we got back to the community, I realized what he truely was; A monster that didn't care about others. And after everything he's done... it felt pretty satisfying when I punched him back when we were escaping."

Clementine looked up at me. "He's gone now. He can never hurt us again."

I nod. "Definitely." I turn back to the path leading back to the memorial. "C'mon, kid. We better tell the others 'bout the deck."

The younger girl nodded before we headed back to the others.

At least something good came out of this...

* * *

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**-ADE**


	25. All Hands on Deck

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I walked over to my boyfriend as he held the pistol in his hands.

"Hey, Nick..." I greeted.

"Hi, babe..." Nick muttered as he looked out at the treeline. "How's the baby?"

I smile lightly. "He's doing fine."

He rose an eyebrow. "He?"

I smiled again. "Yeah... I got the feeling it's gonna be a boy..."

He smiled lightly. "What do you think you should name it if it's a boy?"

"Peter."

His eyes widened as I said this. "R-Really?!"

I nodded. "Yes. Pete was a great man, Nick."

He looked at me with his blue eyes. "Have you... told anyone about this, yet?"

My smile falls and I shake my head. "No... we already have Rebecca in labor, and I don't wanna stress 'em out even more over another baby."

"You have to tell 'em sometime, Tess. You told Anne." Nick pointed out. I sighed. That was because she found that page from my diary."Yeah, but that was different... I don't know how they'll react... we don't have a doctor with us... and with Kenny the way he is right now..." I trailed off, remembering hearing Sarita scream back during our escape. If he found out about this, I'm not sure what he'd do...

"What about your sister?" Nick asked. "Maybe you could tell her?"

I shook my head. "I don't know... I don't know what to do anymore..."

Nick sighed. "Tess, you have to tell them sometime. Soon, more of your stomach will show and not even layered clothing could hide that! What if you... go into labor early?"

I quickly shook my head. I don't wanna think about that with winter approaching soon...

"I doubt that's gonna happen." I say quickly. Nick blinked. "But-" he began, but I cut him off. "But nothing, Nick. We have to focus on Rebecca right now."

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah..."

I then blinked. "Isn't Luke supposed to be keeping watch with you?"

He nodded. "Yeah... I think he went to go check out more of this place."

"Well, he better be back soon..." I mutter. "I'm gonna get back to Rebecca. You be on the lookout, alright?"

"Sure thing, babe." Nick told me. I smiled at him before I headed back to Kenny and Rebecca.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

Clementine and I walked down the path that led back to the memorial. With the brick walls surrounding it, it was almost like a maze. I was in the middle of telling Clementine a story.

"... and so then, Chase and Dylan just kept spinning around on that merry go round and by the time they finally got off, they couldn't even walk in a straight line." I finished, smirking lightly. "They fell over at least ten times before they decided to lie down and let the dizziness wear off."

Clementine rose an eyebrow. "Did you ever do stuff like that with them?"

"Eh, a couple times. Mostly, we played together at the park and they protected me from jackasses. When they left, I didn't have any friends... I was alone... and the bullying resumed almost immediately..." I trailed off as I remembered the day when I realized that they had left.

"But they're back now." Clementine told me.

I smile lightly. "Yeah... they are."

She then smirked. "Tess told me that she found out Dylan likes you."

I freeze and blush. "W-What?!"

Clem smirked again. "That's what she told me. Do you like him?"

"I, uh... I-I..." I stammer as I blush.

"Well, you MUST like him, cause you smiled when he gave you that kiss on the cheek back at the hardware store." she says.

"T-That was cause I wasn't expecting it!" I stuttered. "You looked like you liked it." Clem pointed out. "Well, I did. But-" I caught myself right there. Damn it!

"I knew it! You DO like him!" Clem grinned.

I groaned. "Shut up, Clem..." I grumbled.

Honestly, is anyone ever gonna shut up about that?!

I doubt it...

Suddenly, Rebecca's cry of pain alerts us.

"What the?!" I ask aloud. The two of us exchanged a look before we ran out of the maze and found ourselves back at the memorial. Rebecca sat on the fountain as the group gathered around her with worried expressions.

"Shit, shit! Oh God...!" Rebecca groaned as she held her stomach.

"Just breathe like I told you to." Kenny told Rebecca as he crouched in front of her.

"What's going on?!" I ask.

Dylan turned to me. "Rebecca's contractions are getting worse. I think she's gonna have the baby!"

WHAT?!

"Are you serious?!" I gasp out as I grab my guitar and sling it onto my back.

Suddenly, I hear Sarah gasping. "Oh no... Cl-Clem... Clementine!" she gasped.

"What is it?" Clementine asked. I followed Sarah's gaze and gasped. Walkers are coming out of the forest! They must have heard Rebecca's screams! And they're coming towards us!

"Oh God..." Becca gasped.

"Shit! Walkers!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"How'd they get that close without anyone seeing 'em? Where the hell's Luke?" Mike asked.

He's right... where IS Luke?! He was supposed to be keeping an eye out for walkers!

"Last time I saw him, he was going to the observation deck!" I explain.

"Wasn't he supposed to be on lookout with you?!" Chase asked Nick. "He is!" Nick retorted.

"Kenny! We've gotta do something!" Clementine told her bearded friend. Kenny was silent for a moment before he stood up with his crowbar in hand. "You just keep that baby safe." he told us before he turned around and headed towards the herd.

"What the- KENNY!" Emily exclaimed.

"We can't stay here!" Bonnie pointed out. "Clementine, where's the place you, Jane, and Anne found?" Rebecca asked desperately. "We'll show you!" Clementine told her as she turned back to the archway leading to the observation deck. "Good. Someone help me up." Rebecca requested. Bonnie and Emily helped Rebecca to her feet as the moans of the walkers grew louder and louder.

"God, there's so many of them...!" Shel gasped.

"Chase! Get Sarah!" I ordered. "On it!" he exclaimed as he darted over to Sarah. "Sarah, get going!"

Sarah quickly darted over to us with Chase following her. "Mike, help Kenny!"

"Right!" Mike nodded as he grabbed a hammer and ran to Kenny's side. The duo walked towards a pair of walkers as we headed towards the path leading to the observation deck. I heard Kenny grunt loudly as he slammed the crowbar into a walker's skull repeatedly.

"Shit..." I muttered to myself.

"Clem, I... I don't think he's okay... He's losin' it... I mean, that isn't..." Bonnie muttered as we quickly walked towards the path.

"He's doing it to protect us!" Clem said as we walked at a fast pace.

"Sure, but..." Bonnie cut herself off as Rebecca groaned in pain. She, along with Emily, quickly helped Rebecca as we started quickly walking down the path.

* * *

After a few moments of walking, Rebecca panted, "Are we almost there?!"

"Just about! Just hang on!" I told her. We then walked through the archway that led out to the observation deck. Rebecca let out another yelp of pain. Suddenly, we see something that makes my breath hitch. MORE walkers are coming from the woods!

"Fuck!" I exclaimed. "MOVE IT! GO, GO, GO, GO, GO!"

Clem and I ran forward with Sarah, Kenny, Mike, and the others running a few feet behind us. I saw Mike and Sarah go through a door that led upstairs as Clementine and I ran up the stairs with Clem just a few feet ahead of me. As soon as we reach the deck, we look around frantically.

The gate to the gift shop is opened! Alright- wait, why are Luke and Jane sitting by each other?!

"... that was about as human as I felt in a long time. I've almost forgot what-" Luke looked over his shoulder and was startled to see us. "Clementine?! Anne?!"

What the hell...?!

What are they doing up here?!

I saw Jane's jacket was unzipped, and they were adjusting their clothing...

... oh my God.

Are you serious?!

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" I groan out.

"Uh, it's not..." Luke stammered as Jane adjusted one of her boots.

Clementine made a face mixed with confusion and disgust as Luke stuttered, "It just happened. It- I wasn't, uh... wait, what's going on?"

"Of all the times you wanna do IT, you choose NOW?!" I growl as I glare at them. "WE GOT A SERIOUS SITUATION GOIN' ON RIGHT NOW!"

I then hear Rebecca groan. I look to my right and see the others darting up the stairs. "In here, Bec... let's get you comfortable." Bonnie told her gently as Rebecca quickly walked in holding her stomach. Nick and Dylan quickly shut the gate by the stairs and locked it. As soon as Kenny and Tess noticed Luke, they frowned. "What the fuck are you two doing up here?!" Kenny demanded angrily. "Why weren't you on watch with Nick?!" Tess snapped.

Jane and Luke quickly jumped up to their feet. "Kenny! Tess! What's going on?" Luke asked.

"We got God-knows-how-many walkers out there which YOU were supposed to be keeping an eye out for with Nick!" Kenny explained angrily.

"And you were up here getting BUSY?!" Tess growled.

"You just couldn't keep it in your pants?!" Chase snapped.

Nick shook his head. "What the hell, man?!"

I heard a gate close and I saw Mike closing the gate that led to the extra set of stairs as Sarah walked towards us.

"Hey, hold on a sec... Just tell me what's goin' on!" Luke says.

Kenny frowns. "What's goin' on is that you're a reckless fuckin' moron!" he snapped. "Oh, I'M reckless?! You know, you got a lotta nerve, Kenny!" Luke shot back. Tess frowned. "Shut up, Luke! Just shut up!" she snapped. "You just HAD to do that, didn't you?!"

"Tess, I-"

"Don't even bother explaining!" Tess growled.

"But-!"

Tess suddenly slapped him across the face in a fit of anger, shocking us all. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON WATCH! AND NOW, WE GOT TONS OF WALKERS ON OUR ASSES! WALKERS YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO WARN US ABOUT!" she roared angrily.

Luke's eyes widened as he held his cheek. "B-B-But what's going on?!" he asked.

I shook my head as I set my guitar down. Honestly, Luke...!

"Rebecca's having the baby!" I exclaim.

Luke and Jane's eyes widened. "What, now?!"

His response was a long, loud cry of pain from Rebecca. Sarah, Dylan, Becca, and I cringed.

"Ooh, damn..." Dylan muttered.

"Fuck. I'm sorry." Luke apologized. "It's too late for that, Luke!" Tess growled.

"Tess, calm down! You can kick his ass later!" Emily exclaimed.

"Shit. Shit..." Rebecca winced as Bonnie and Emily helped her to the floor. Mike suddenly ran out onto the deck. "They're comin' up the stairs!" he warned.

Luke walked over to Rebecca as Shel draped a blanket over Rebecca's legs. "Here, we should..." he began, but Kenny angrily cut him off. "You wanna help? Get out there and keep the walkers off us!" he snapped before he knelt down to Rebecca's side. "I'll do this,, guys. I've been here before."

Mike's voice drew our attention. "They can't rush us on the stairs! Shoot 'em before they get to us!"

Luke, Jane, Dylan, Chase, and Nick ran out onto the deck and looked over the railing. "Holy shit, that's a lot of 'em! We need EVERYONE out here!"

"I'm going outside. I'll help hold 'em back!" Clementine announced. "Go. I've got Rebecca." Kenny nodded. "I'm staying to help!" Tess told him. "Becca, stay inside!" Shel ordered as she rushed onto the deck holding a gun. For once, Becca didn't argue.

"I'll help ya, Kenny!" Emily says as she crouches down to Kenny's side.

I looked back at the others outside.

Gotta help 'em...

"Shit... I'm goin' out to help!" I yelled as I heard the snarls of the walkers getting closer to us.

"Then go!" Tess exclaimed as she handed me a Glock 17. I quickly took it and darted outside. Sarah stood by Clementine watching nervously as the walkers crowded by the gate and tried to get through. I saw Luke and Clem a gun. "Here. We can't let them up here!" he told her as she took it. I stood between Dylan and Clementine and held my arms out in front of me, aiming the gun at a walker's head. I could see Mike, Jane, and Chase by the railing as they shot a walkers that were coming up the stairs.

We're NOT letting them up here!

I then pulled the trigger and shot a walker in the forehead. A loud BANG was heard after I pulled the trigger. Sarah started nervously backing away as we continued shooting at the walkers. I could hear Rebecca scream in pain as she arched her back as we fired.

"AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!"

I cringed hearing this.

God, is childbirth really that painful?!

I aim at another walker and pull the trigger. A second later, the walker collapses, a bullet hole in its head. As soon as it fell, I aimed at another walker and shot it in the head. The undead corpse collasped as I fired at another, and then another, and so on.

"SHIT! THEY JUST KEEP COMING!" Nick yelled over the gunshots.

"GODDAMN IT!" Chase roared.

"IS THERE ANY END TO THEM?!" I yell.

Jane ceased firing, peered over the railing, and looked back at us. "There's too many of 'em!" she called.

"Keep shooting! They are NOT gettin' up here!" Luke exclaimed.

DAMN RIGHT!

Suddenly, the gate started to tremble. Luke, Mike, Jane, Bonnie, Shel, Nick, Chase, and Dylan all rushed over to the gate and tried to keep it shut as the walkers attempted to force it open. "Find somethin' to block this gate!" Mike yelled.

"Help us!" Bonnie cried as Luke pulled out his machete and began slicing at the walkers in an attempt to stop them.

"Hurry!" Dylan grunted.

Rebecca screamed in pain again and arched her back. "Come on, Bec, you can do it!" Tess encouraged.

I looked around frantically as Clem and I looked for something to block the gate with. "Find anything?!" Shel yelled as the gates rattled as the walkers attempted to get through. My eye wandered over to the cannon on the deck that Sarah was standing next to. "Anne, what're you looking- Oh..." Clem realized.

"We can block the gate with this!" I exclaimed as I rushed over to it with Clementine.

"T-T-They're gonna get up here!" Sarah gasped nervously. As I attempted to move it, I looked over my shoulder. "They WON'T get up here, Sarah! Move!" I told the raven haired girl.

Sarah walked closer to the room and stood there nervously as Clem and I tried to move the cannon.

Damn, it's heavy!

Come on... MOVE!

We managed to move it just a little bit, but not by much.

"Move, you worthless piece of tin!" I growled at the cannon. Luke then rushed over to us. "I'll help!" he exclaimed as he rushed over to us. With his help, we were able to turn the cannon around. "Together! Ready?!" Luke asked.

"Do you really need to ask?!" I retort as we began rolling the old cannon towards the gate. As soon as it reached the gate, the wood beneath it cracked.

"Aw, shit!" I swore as the wood collapsed, taking down the entire gate, as well as the stairs, the cannon, and the walkers on the stairs.

"Holy fuck!" Mike exclaimed as everyone blocking the gate jumped back just in time. Well, that was unexpected!

"What the hell was that?!" Emily yelled.

"What the fuck is goin' on out there?!" Kenny called from inside. Suddenly, I heard creaking. All of us look up to see a support cable making that noise.

Is it supposed to make that noise?!

Just then, the support cable broke.

SHIT!

"GET BACK! GET BACK!" Luke exclaimed as everyone on the deck started rushing inside. As I darted towards the gift shop, I could feel the deck shift below me.

"CRAP!" I exclaim.

"MOVE!" Nick shouted.

"Ohhh! Shit!" Bonnie yelled as we ran. Just as we reached the inside, the deck collapsed! IT FREAKING COLLAPSED!

"HOLY SHIT!" I gasped out. Just as the deck collasped, Jane and Sarah leaped forward and managed to grab onto the ledge in time, but their grips were starting to slip. "JANE! SARAH!" Clementine exclaimed. I saw Luke grab Jane's hand just as she slipped. I then saw Sarah lose her grip.

"AAAHHH!" she screamed.

NO!

I rushed forward and grabbed her wrist just as she fell. She gasped and looked up to see me holding onto her.

"I GOT YOU, SARAH!" I scream.

She looked up at me with a scared expression as I tried to pull her up. "HELP ME!"

Ugh... damn it! Come on!

I gritted my teeth as I held onto Sarah tightly. I'm not letting her fall!

Suddenly, another hand grabs Sarah's other arm. My visible eye widens and I see...

"BECCA?!" I exclaim.

Why is she helping?!

"Come on!" she yelled. "You're not gonna let her die, are you?!"

HELL NO!

Gritting my teeth, I pull Sarah up onto the deck with the help of Becca. As soon as Sarah was standing up, she immediately leaped foward and hugged me tightly as she cried with relief. "T-Thank you...!" she sobbed.

I tense, not expecting this, but I shook this off and hugged her back. "It's okay..." I tell her. I then released Sarah and looked at Becca. "Why did you...?"

Becca shrugged. "I thought you said you weren't gonna let your friends die?"

My eye widened at her words... the words I used earlier.

I look over my shoulder and see Clementine and Luke pulling Jane up.

Rebecca's cry of pain caught our attention. We all turned around, seeing her scream as she gripped onto Kenny's hand tightly.

"AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!"

"PUSH!" Kenny yelled.

"COME ON, BEC!" Tess shouted.

Jane looks over the edge. "Oh, shit. They're climbing up!" she called.

WHAT?!

"What?" Bonnie asks as we peer over the edge, seeing several walkers climbing up the collapsed part of the deck.

"They're gonna make it up here!" Jane said.

"Fuck!" Mike exclaimed.

"Does this shit ever end?!" I growl as Sarah hid behind me.

Suddenly, Clem says, "We need to break the rest of the deck!"

My eye widened. Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!

Luke nods. "She's right... She's right! Drop the whole deck!" he exclaimed as he walked over to a part with the collapsed part connected with the intact part of the bridge.

"Drop the... are you fucking crazy?!" Mike yells.

"How are we gonna do that?!" Bonnie asks.

Luke began stomping on a weak part of the deck. "I don't know, just look around!"

"Sarah, get back!" I tell Sarah. She quickly darted inside with Becca as we looked for a way to drop the deck. Clementine tried hacking at the support cable, but it didn't even make a dent. I shook my head. "That won't work! Cable's too thick!" I explained. I then saw Clementine glancing up at the support plate. "Crap." I heard her whisper before she turned to us. "Look!"

We all look up at the support plate. "That'll work! We bust that, the whole thing comes down!" Luke exclaimed.

"And how do you suggest we do that?!" Chase questioned.

"Mike! Boost me!" Clementine told Mike. The man nodded and hoisted Clementine onto his shoulders. As Clementine hacked at the pins holding the support plate, I looked back down and saw the walkers were climbing closer to us.

"They're gettin' closer!" I warn.

"Come on!" Mike exclaimed.

"Move it!" Jane yelled.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Clementine retorted before she hacked at the pins. As she hacked at it a third time, the support plate completely broke off. I felt the deck shake beneath my feet.

"WATCH IT!" Luke warned.

We quickly moved back as what remained of the deck broke off, taking the walkers down with it.

"Son of a bitch!" Mike exclaimed as he stepped back with Clementine still standing on his shoulders. I peered over the edge, seeing the walkers sprawled out on the ground. Some of them were trapped by the rubble, others just lay sprawled out.

"Holy shit..." I breathe.

I see Bonnie walk inside and gasp. "Oh... oh no..."

What now?!

We quickly rushed over to the gift shop, but I froze at what I saw.

Rebecca layed panting heavily on the floor as Kenny held a pale baby in his arms... but it wasn't responding. Tess and Emily looked at us sadly as Rebecca started to cry. "No... no... God, no..."

Oh my God...

No... please...

It can't be...

"No..." Clementine gasped out. Sarah sniffled. "I-Is it..." she asked. I almost fell to my knees as I looked down sadly.

No... it can't...

Suddenly, the baby coughed and started crying, the color starting to return to it's face.

I gasped and looked up.

IT'S ALIVE! THE BABY'S ALIVE!

Kenny's working eye widened and he gasped with relief as the baby cried. We all smile with relief as we saw the baby cry.

Oh, thank God! It's okay!

We all exchanged a smile before we stepped inside as Kenny cut the umbilical cord and looked at us as we gathered around them. He then gave us a true, geniune smile.

"It's a boy."


	26. In the Pines

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

A couple hours have passed since the attack. Things have calmed down a bit, but not by much.

I sat leaning against the wall holding my guitar. Sarah laid nearby on the floor fast asleep. Truth be told, I'm a little amazed that she was able to sleep after what just happened a few hours ago. She did just lose her father AND had a near death experiece...

Thank God we pulled her up in time...

Mike and Bonnie were lying on the ground sleeping with their backs to each other. Chase was slumped against the wall in a dead sleep, snoring a little as he did.

I rolled my visible eye. So typical of Chase...

Shel and Becca were fast asleep by each other behind the counter. Emily was lying on her back by the counter. Nick was slumped over in the corner snoring. Dylan was sitting down next to Chase, probably annoyed by his snores. The look on his face almost screamed 'STOP SNORING!'. I had no clue where Jane was...

I could hear Tess and Luke talking outside, but I couldn't make out what they were saying...

* * *

**Tess's POV**

"Honestly, Luke! What the hell?" I ask him.

Luke and I were outside of the gift shop. Luke sighed. "Look, Tess, she gave me an offer, so I took it..."

"Oh, you decided to get BUSY with her when you were supposed to be on lookout with Nick!" I frowned.

"I didn't know that walkers would come!" he defended.

Of all the times he decided to get laid, he chose to do it when Rebecca was in labor?! Honestly!

"Well, you put us all in danger because of that 'offer' Jane gave you!" I pointed out. "Because of that, the walkers nearly got us! Sarah almost died! If Anne and Becca hadn't been there..."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I do NOT wanna think about what would've happened!

"If you hadn't done that, things would've gone a WHOLE lot smoother!" I snap. "I didn't know that there was so many of them!" Luke said. "Of course you didn't! None of us knew until it was almost too late!" I snapped again. "You put any of us in danger, especially the babies-"

"Wait, BABIES?!" Luke asked.

I gasped as I caught myself. Ah, shit.

"Er... I meant the baby!" I quickly explained, hoping that he'd buy it.

Luke's face said it all. He didn't fall for it.

DAMN IT!

"I specifically heard you say 'babies'. Tess, what is going on?!" he asked as he crossed his arms.

Damn... looks like there's no backing out of this...

I let out a sigh. "Listen, Luke. Promise me you won't tell the others about this..."

"Why?" he questions. "Just don't tell them!" I snap. He blinks. "Okay..."

I took a deep breath. "Luke... I'm pregnant."

Luke's jaw dropped. "WHAT?!" he started to yell, but I quickly covered his mouth. "Shh! You idiot! Be quiet!" I hiss before I uncovered his mouth. Luke's eyes widened as he shook his head. "How far along...?"

"... six months." I admit.

"You're... why didn't you tell us?!"

"I didn't want you all worrying about me all the time. You already have Rebecca and the baby to worry about, and with winter on the way... I didn't want to stress the group out even more!" I say.

"Well, they NEED to know about this." Luke says.

I shook my head. "No, not yet." I deny.

"Then when are you gonna tell them?!" Luke questions. I am silent for a moment.

"When I'm ready." I replied. "Nick and Anne know, and they promised not to tell anyone. And I hope you don't tell anyone about this, either."

I begin to walk back inside, but I pause. "Oh, and one more thing..." I look over my shoulder to look at Luke. "It's Nick's."

The last thing I saw before I stepped back inside was Luke's shocked face.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I saw Tess step inside and sat by Nick as he slept. She let out a yawn before she rested her head on his shoulder.

"What a day it's been, huh?" she asked me. I nod in agreement.

"Yep..."

"We should get some rest..." Tess sighs.

I nod again. "Yeah..." I agree. Tess yawns and closes her eyes. "Night, Anne."

"Night, Tess."

After I say this, I turn to see Rebecca sitting against the wall with her baby son in her arms. The baby boy had been cleaned up and wrapped up in a blanket. I found myself smiling. That is just too cute!

Rebecca noticed me and smiled lightly. "Hey there, Anne." she greeted. "Hey..." I responded as I slowly got up and stepped over Sarah carefully as I made my way to her. I crouched by her side and smiled. "He's so cute...!" I whisper. She smiled at my comment. "Would you... like to hold him?"

YES, PLEASE!

"Of course!" I say immediately. Rebecca smiled weakly and handed the baby to me. I held him in my arm as I supported his head. I find myself smiling as the baby cooed.

HE'S SO FREAKING ADORABLE!

"Hey there, little guy. I'm Anne." I say, using a goofy voice. The baby cooed again. Rebecca smiled. "He likes you..." she tells me. "You have a soft spot when it comes to babies, don't you?"

I chuckle before I hand him back to his mother. Just then, I saw Clementine, who was sleeping on the floor a couple feet away from Rebecca, wake up. Rebecca looked up from her son and smiled. "Hey, Clementine..." she greeted. I smirked at the girl. "Hey there, sleepyhead." I smirk. Clementine sat up. "Hey guys. How's he doing?" she asks as she comes over to us. Rebecca glanced down at the baby in her arms and smiled warmly. "He's perfect. Who's a perfect little man? Who's the most perfect little man in the whole world?" she gently asked the baby.

Clementine smiled. "He looks like Alvin." she commented.

Rebecca blinked in surprise. "You think so?" she questioned.

"Definitely." Clem nodded.

I smile. "Looks just like him..." I say.

"Thank you..." she said as her voice cracked a little. She then started coughing.

I blinked. "You okay, Rebecca?" I ask with concern. "I'm fine, I'm fine... I just wish I could get warm..." she told us.

Mike then sat up and looked over his shoulder. "Clem... why don't you give her that coat we found back at the museum?" he suggested. I blinked. Ah, I almost forgot about the coat!

The coat was lying folded up just a few feet away from Clementine. The girl reached over and grabbed it before she pulled it back to us and handed it to Rebecca. "Sorry, y'know... about the color." Mike added as he laid back down. I rolled my visible eye as Rebecca shot him a look. "You really think I care about that?" She shook her head before she looked up at Clementine with a smile. "Do you... wanna hold him?"

"Could I?" Clementine asked.

Rebecca smiled. "Of course. You're family, Clem. Here you go..."

She gently handed Clem the baby boy as it babbled and gurgled. As Clementine held the baby in her arms, I could see her smiling.

Aw... I haven't seen anything like this in... ages...

This is just too cute!

Suddenly, the baby's face scrunched up and he started to cry, but Clementine quickly reacted and comforted the baby using a calm tone in her voice. "Ssh, sshhh... there you go..."

As she gently rocked the baby back and forth, he slowly stopped crying.

"Heh, I'm impressed, kid." I comment.

Rebecca smiled. "You're a natural..."

She blinked. "You think so?" she inquired. Rebecca nodded, but coughed a moment after.

Just then, Kenny stepped inside and looked down at Clementine as she held Rebecca's son. "Look at you... like a big sister." he commented. I'm surprised he's speaking calmly. Maybe Clementine talked to him earlier and he forgave her?

I'm pulled out of my thoughts by Rebecca coughing again. Kenny had a look of concern. "Here. Let me take him." he offered. Clementine carefully handed him the baby and the bearded man held the newborn in his arms. "You both should rest. Especially you, Rebecca." he says.

"When's the last time you slept, Kenny?" Rebecca inquired as she laid a hand over her now flat stomach. "Oh, about two years ago. I'm fine." Kenny replied nonchalantly. He then looked down at the baby with a smile. "Plus somebody's gotta watch you while your mama gets her beauty sleep." he spoke in a gentle tone. He then sniffed the baby. "New baby smell... you never forget it..." he commented before carefully stepping over Sarah and Chase while walking to a corner of the room.

"He's right, Bec... you need your rest..." I tell her as I stand up. As I do, I see Clementine stepping outside.

Thinking nothing of it, I head out to the entrance, feeling the cool breeze hit my skin as I do. I lean against the wall, and stare up at the sky.

The sky was now a mix of purple, dark blue, and pink, making a nice combination. It blended in nicely with the pine trees and hills in the distance.

"This would count as one of those moments when you wish that you had a camera, right?"

I jump at the voice. I turn around and see Dylan walking up to me. "Dylan?" I asked with surprise. He smirked. "Did I scare you?" he questioned. I crossed my arms and looked back at the sky.

"N-No..." I say quickly. "So... why are you out here?"

Dylan sighed. "Chase's snoring practically in my ear."

I snicker as he childishly pouts. "It's not funny!" he whines.

"Y-Yes, it is!" I shot back between chuckles.

He looks cute when he pouts...

Gah, there I go again!

I blush at what I thought as Dylan looked up at the sky. His expression changes to a thoughtful and sad one. "You know... Rebecca Townley always loved looking at the sky..."

My blush faded and I gave him a look of sympathy as he stared up at the sky. "Sometimes, we'd just sit on a hill and stare up at the sky, even if it was night time... when shit hit the fan, we weren't able to do it much, but while Chase was on watch, we would look up at the sky and watch the stars... we'd sometimes try to point out the constellations... After she died... I didn't look up at the night sky for a while..." As he spoke, I could see a tear stream down his face, but he quickly wiped it away. I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Dylan..." I trailed off.

"It's okay... it happened so fast... there was nothing that any of us coulda done..." Dylan told me.

As he looked at me, I found myself staring at his hazel and blue eyes...

He noticed my gaze and rose an eyebrow. "What?"

I blushed. "Nothing..." I muttered as I quickly turned away, hiding my blush. He rubbed the back of his neck as an awkward silence occured.

"So... Clementine told me that you kinda like me..." I muttered, blushing deeper. It was Dylan's turn to blush. "W-What?" he stuttered.

Dylan's blush gave it away. So Clem was telling the truth...

He likes me?

"I... I, uh..." he stammered as he tried to come up with something.

I felt my face heat up even more. "Why did you kiss me on the cheek back at Carver's?" I ask.

"Why did YOU kiss me on the cheek?" Dylan inquired.

Crap. What should I say?!

Frantically, I try to come up with something to say. "Uh... because you tried to help me after Troy hit my with his assault rifle..."

"Why did you do that?" I ask.

"I didn't want you to get hurt some more." he blurts out. His eyes widen at what he said as he covers his mouth, his cheeks reddening.

Did he... really just say that?

"Why did YOU kiss me on the cheek before we escaped from Carver?" I asked as I blushed lightly.

"It was for good luck... I didn't want you to get hurt again... You were hurt so many times when we were younger, and I didn't want to let it happen again..." he admitted, blushing deeply as he looked away. I mentally gasped as I felt my heart beat faster in my chest.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Luke walk into the room that Clem went into, but I paid no attention to it.

"And... it was to make up for the time we were gone..." Dylan said.

He's referring to when he and Chase left... isn't he...?

I subconciously placed a hand on my left arm. Dylan noticed this. "Anne... what's wrong?"

I turn away from him. "N-Nothing..."

"Anne..." I felt him place a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay... you can tell me."

I slowly turned to him, my blush receding. "Promise you won't tell the others about this...?" I requested. The dark haired teen nodded. "Yeah..."

I sighed as I took off my leather jacket, shivering as the cold air hit my skin. I then rolled up the sleeve on my left arm and his eyes widened.

On my arm was a long, jagged scar going down from my shoulder to my elbow. I cringed as I remembered the pain I felt that day...

His blue and hazel eyes shone with concern as he gently took my left arm in his hand and examined the scar. "Oh God... What... happened?"

I clenched my fist before I spoke. "Just about six months after you left... I was walking home. Then, a gang of bullies suddenly ambushed me. My face was slammed into a wall several times, I was punched in the stomach, I was kicked, and I was punched multiple times. After they beat me, the ringleader told his pals that 'he got the rest.' Then... he dragged me into an alley... and pulled out a knife... he held me against the wall and he... he..."

I squeezed my eye shut at the memory.

* * *

_The boy grinned sadistically as he held me against the wall. I struggled to get out of his grip._

_"Please! Let me go!" I pleaded desperately._

_He chuckled. "Nope... not til I have some fun with you, first!"_

_And with that, he jabbed the knife into my left arm. I screamed as the pain hit me like a sack of bricks. The pain was almost unbearable! I couldn't take it!_

**_"AAAAAHHHH!"_**_ I screamed, tears streaming down my face._

_The ringleader chuckled cruely as he slowly dragged the knife down my arm. He was enjoying every minute I was in pain. _

_WHY!?_

_"Stand still, Cyclops! You're ruining the best part!" he spat as he punched me in the gut, making me double over. He continued dragging the knife down my arm until finally, he stopped at my elbow. He retracted the switchblade harshly, making me cry in pain as blood started pouring out of my new wound. He sneered at me. "This is boring..." he growled as he threw me to the ground._

_I fell on the pavement harshly, landing next to an empty beer bottle. As I tried to push myself up, he slammed his foot down on my back, forcing me back into the ground. "Stay in the dirt where you belong, freak!" he snapped. Weakly, I looked up at him, seeing him grinning sinisterly. "Now THIS, I'm _definitely _gonna enjoy!"_

_My eyes widened as I desperately started backing away from him, but the loss of blood was starting to affect me. He smiled evilly as he started to unbutton his pants. _

_NO! PLEASE!_

_As he took off his pants, he started advancing towards me. As I tried to crawl away, he stomped onto my back, forcing me back down. "Hold still, you little freak!" he growled as he tossed his pants to the side, leaving him in his underwear._

_I started to sob. _

_"NO! NO! PLEASE! DON'T!"_

_He only smiled cruelly as he advanced towards me, his hands stretched out in front of them as he prepared to hold me down._

_"HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"_

_The boy jumped away from me just as he was about to force me to stay down. I weakly looked up and saw two people standing at the end of the alley. One was a police officer, the other, I couldn't make out._

_"SHIT!" the boy swore as he darted away in his underwear. _

_"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO DO TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER?! GET BACK HERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" the other figure roared. The boy darted out of the alley and I sobbed with relief._

_He... he was going to try to..._

_The two figures darted up to me. The other man crouched down to me as the police officer pulled out a radio._

_"Get the paramedics down here! NOW! We have a young girl bleeding out over here! HURRY!" he demanded into the radio._

_My vision blurry, I looked up at the man crouching down to me. "Oh my God... sweetie..."_

_The man was in his late fifties. He had greying hair, but he wasn't balding. He wore a pair of glasses, and I recognized the kind eyes behind them._

_"G-G-Gran-p-pa...?" I rasped out. _

_It was.. my grandpa..._

_He saved me... _

_"Shh... don't talk, honey..." he soothed as he put pressure on my cut. "It's okay... he's gone... he won't hurt you, now..." _

_"Grandpa... he... he tried to... he tried to... r-ra..." I sobbed._

_"I know, honey, I know. The ambulance is gonna be here any minute now... don't worry, I'm here..." Grandpa told me._

_Those were the last words I heard before my vision went black._

* * *

I shed a tear as I looked away. "I-I'm sorry... I just..."

Dylan clenched his fist. "Who was he...? Who hurt you...? Who tried to...?"

I squeezed my eye shut. "Josh Harrington..." I spat out. "That bastard... he tried to rape me!" I shed another tear. "He was so close to grabbing my pants, Dylan! If Grandpa hadn't showed up...!" I burst into tears at this. Slowly, Dylan wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into an embrace. "Shh..." he whispered. I sobbed into his chest, not caring about the cold air around us.

Dylan pulled me closer as he rocked me back and forth.

We stood there for six minutes straight. As I finally finish letting out the emotion I felt that day, he gently pulled away from me.

"You good?"

I sniffled and wiped away what remained of my tears. My eyes felt dry, but I didn't care. Finally, I was able to let that out... after so many years of holding that pain in...

"Y-Yeah..."

"Anne... I'm so sorry... I won't let anything like that happen to you again..." Dylan told me as he looked into my eye. He placed his fingers under my chin and gently raised it so I could look into his eyes. "I swear to God, if I find the son of a bitch who nearly did IT to you, I will make him pay for it. I promise."

"You... you promise?" I asked incredulously. He nodded.

"I promise." he repeated.

Slowly, I found myself leaning forward, as well as Dylan. I tiltled my head slightly as our faces came closer to each other... our lips were so close to making contact...

They were just centimeters away... We were just about to... about to...

Kiss...

Suddenly, a loud noise startles us.

"DAMMIT!"

We jump away from each other, blushing deeply.

W-What was that?

I quickly put my leather jacket back on. "T-That sounded like Luke..." I stammered.

"We should, uh... see what's going on..." Dylan mutters.

I shakily nod as we make our way to the other room, ignoring the dryness in my eyes. We find Luke pacing around with an angry expression on his face. "She didn't say anything to me?! What the fuck!" he asked himself. Clementine sat near the staircase

"W-What's going on?" I ask, trying to mask up the fact that I was crying my eyes out just a minute ago.

"Jane left... for good..." Clementine muttered.

... What?

"What?!" Dylan asked. "Are you serious?!"

How could she just... leave us like that?!

Luke grumbled to himself. "She didn't even say anything about leaving to me!"

"Hey, keep it down!"

I turned around and saw Kenny stepping in with the baby in his arms. Luke turned to him. "Sorry, I just... Jane's gone..."

"Really?! Luke? Of all the childish bullshit?!" Kenny hissed as the baby started to softly cry. "Childish? Goddamn it, Kenny, you know what?! Just lay off!" Luke frowned. Kenny shook his head as they exited the room and Clem, Dylan, and I followed. "No. You put our lives, this BABY's life at risk, so you two just roll around like a pair of fuckin' teenagers!"

Luke turned back to Kenny. "Look, I made a mistake, alright?"

"No, it's not alright!" Kenny shot back.

"What do you want from me?!"

"You guys are both acting like jerks! All you guys do is fight!" Clementine butted in.

"She's right. You both never seem to agree on anything!" Dylan agreed.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I fucked up." Luke said to Kenny, then he frowned. "But ya know what? Jane, she made an offer, and... god, I needed it, okay?" Luke then started to raise his voice as he gestured to the rubble below us and the few walkers roaming around. "I mean, look aroud you, okay? Everything is SHIT! So forgive me for wantin' to enjoy ONE MOMENT of somethin' else!"

Kenny frowned. "Fine. But this baby... he's what matters most now, got it? So get your shit together!"

"Kenny? Where's my baby?" Rebecca called from the other room.

Sarah and Mike peered out from the gift shop. "What's going on?" Sarah asked.

"Is everything alright?" Mike asked.

Luke glared at Kenny. "Everything is fine..." he muttered as he headed back to the gift shop, seeing that most of the others have woken up. Dylan and I exchanged a look before we entered the gift shop again. "We're gonna need a good place to raise him, which ain't here... we gotta push on. We head north. Get to Wellington. That's our best shot." Kenny announced as he turned back to us.

"There's a town across the river. It might be safe there..." Clementine brought up.

My gaze wandered over to the buildings I see in the distance. Huh... I forgot about that...

"Or at least it might be a good stop along the way." Kenny said, glaring at Luke.

"Kenny!"

Rebecca's voice got his attention. "Right, right. Sorry." he apologized as he gently handed Rebecca her son.

"Clem's got a point." Bonnie agreed. "That could be a whole town full of supplies. And it's not that far from here."

"Whole lot better than here, anyway. Looks like that's our best bet. We need to get on the road as soon as possible... we leave at first light." Kenny announced.

Whoa, hold on! Since when did YOU decide to make decisions for us?

"Whoa, whoa! What're you talking about? Rebecca needs her rest!" Luke points out. "A few days at least!"

"We've got formula for the baby... as well as a few rations..." Bonnie piped up.

"That won't help the rest of us. And what about shelter? We'll freeze out here." Mike points out.

"Kenny, look at her! She needs her rest!" Emily tells the bearded man.

Rebecca coughed. Yeah, she really needs it...

"Luke's right, Kenny. She needs to rest." Clementine pointed out. "We should wait a few days."

"Maybe that's for the best." Shel mutters. "We don't wanna push Rebecca too far..." Bonnie agreed.

"Just give me a day or two, Kenny. I'll be fine..." Rebecca insisted.

Kenny frowned. "This is a mistake."

"Rebecca NEEDS rest, Kenny! Don't push her!" I snapped.

"Everyone calm down. We should all try and get some sleep. It's been a long day." Mike says.

Kenny frowned again. "I'm gonna go keep watch..." he muttered as he stepped outside. I looked over my shoulder and saw something white start to fall to the the ground gently.

Snow...

It was starting to snow...

Just great...

I'm pulled out of my thoughts by Rebecca going into a coughing fit. Luke knelt by her side.

"S-Sorry..."

"Okay, Becs... it's gonna be alright..." he told her gently.

I exchanged one last look with Dylan before I picked my guitar off the floor and headed over to an empty corner of the room. I sat there, thinking about everything that's happened today.

Kenny got angry at Clementine, Sarah nearly died TWICE, we all almost died cause of Luke having sex with Jane when he was supposed to be on lookout with Nick, Rebecca had the baby... and now she's starting to get weak... I told Dylan about what happend to me... and... we almost... kissed...

What a freakin' day...

Out of the corner of my eye, I see something bright blue by me; it was Clementine sitting down by my side. "Hey Clem..." I greeted.

"Hi..." she sullenly replied.

"You okay?"

"No... not really..." she muttered.

"Huh... neither am I..." I admitted.

"I heard you talking to Dylan..."

I stiffened, but her next words make me relax. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." she says.

I smile gratefully. "Thanks, Clem..." I thanked before I let out a sigh. "What a day it's been, huh?"

She nodded. "Yeah..."

We are silent for a few minutes. After another moment, I decide to speak. "So... can't sleep, huh?"

Clementine shook her head. "No..."

I propped my guitar up on my lap. "Well, maybe a little bit of music might help..."

Clementine nodded and laid down next to me. As she did, I started to strum my guitar and opened my mouth as the melody poured out of my mouth as I softly started singing.

_"Little girl, little girl_

_Don't lie to me_

_Tell me, where did you sleep last night?_

_In the pines, in the pines..._

_Where the sun never shines_

_Will shiver the whole night through..._

_My daddy was a railroad man_

_Killed a mile and a half from here_

_His head was found in a driver's wheel_

_His body was never found..._

_In the pines, in the pines..._

_Where the sun never shines _

_Will shiver the whole night through..."_

I paused singing for a moment as I strummed my guitar. I glanced around the room, seeing that most of the group had gone back to sleep. Dylan watched me with sad, hazel and blue eyes. I looked back down at Clementine and saw that her eyes were starting to droop.

_"You've caused me to weep_

_You've caused me to mourn_

_You've caused me to lose my home..._

_Little girl, little girl_

_Where'd you sleep last night?_

_Not even your mother knows... _

_In the pines, in the pines..._

_Where the sun never shines_

_Will shiver when the cold winds blow..."_

I strummed my guitar for a few more moments, then I stopped, ending the song. I glanced down at Clementine and saw that she had fallen asleep.

Good... she needs her rest...

I slowly laid my guitar by my side and slumped down, feeling my eye, as well as my hidden eye, start to droop. I rest my chin on my chest as I start to get tired...

Eventually, exhaustion consumes me... and I fall asleep...

* * *

**Hey guys! Just a little heads up. After the next chapter, I'm gonna be taking a short break until episode five is released.**

**BUT DON'T WORRY, EVERYONE!**

**I'll get back to this as soon as I see episode five!**

**Stay tuned!**

**-ADE**


	27. Russian Mafia

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

A day has passed now...

It's early in the morning...

The temperature had dropped a few more degrees... It's getting colder. That's not a good thing.

Rebecca was currently asleep with her baby son in her arms. Good, she needs her rest...

She had the coat on. Hopefully, its keeping her warm...

I saw Kenny standing outside keeping a lookout for any walkers. He's been a little pissed that we haven't left right now, but none of us wanted to push Rebecca to move right after she gave birth...

My gaze drifted over to Sarah, who sat in a corner of the room.

She was very lucky yesterday... She's gonna need to learn how to defend herself...

I walked over to her and crouched down in front of her. "Hey, Sarah..."

The raven haired girl looked up at me. "Hi... did you sleep okay?"

"Sort of..." I admitted. "Listen, Sarah... I need to tell you something..." I tell her. Sarah rose an eyebrow. "W-What is it?" she asked.

"Remember how we were shooting the walkers a day ago?"

She nodded. "Y-Yeah... it was scary..."

I nodded also. "I know it was... remember when Clem taught you how to use a gun?" I questioned, remembering that day at the cabin. God, it seemed like months ago, now...

"Yeah... why?" Sarah rose an eyebrow.

I sighed. "You're gonna need to know how to defend yourself." I told her.

Sarah's eyes widened. "Y-You mean... s-shooting a gun?" she asked. I nodded, confirming this. "B-But w-why?" Sarah stuttered.

I sighed. "Sarah, there ain't gonna be someone there to protect you all the time, so you're gonna need to learn how to protect yourself." I told her. "I-I don't think I can..." she stammered. "Dad never taught me how to..."

"Yes, you can, Sarah. You have to try." I tell her as I stand up and look down at her. "So... you comin'?"

She was silent for a moment before she nodded and shakily stood up.

I grabbed a gun, as well as some ammo, before Sarah and I head out to the remains of the deck.

"Where are you two going?"

Ah, shit. Busted...

I slowly turn around to see Kenny standing there with his arms crossed.

"What're you up to?" Kenny asked with a frown.

I sighed. Might as well tell him...

"I'm gonna teach Sarah how to shoot." I answer. Kenny frowned again and rose an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea?"

I sighed again. "Kenny, she needs to know how to defend herself. We'll be careful..."

Kenny studied us for a moment before he sighed. "Fine... Just be careful. Don't make too much noise. Those walkers earlier were enough already."

I nodded and turned to face Sarah. "Stay close to me, okay?" I told her. She nodded and we made our way over to the other room and started walking down the stairs. When we reached the door at the bottom, I cautiously opened it and peered out, searching for any sign of walkers. Luckily, there weren't any around. Just the dead ones that were killed from the deck falling. I then turned back to Sarah. "Let's go." I say.

And with that, we step out and start to walk.

* * *

I make sure that we're not too far from the observation deck. Never know when a walker could come...

I stop walking as I see a place that Sarah could practice shooting. "Here's good." I announced.

Sarah stopped and looked around. "A-are you sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

I picked up a couple of empty cans on the ground and set them on a large boulder. I walked back to Sarah and pulled out pistol. "Here."

Shakily, she took it in her hands. "You... You sure about this?" she asked. "Yeah. You need to learn how to defend yourself." I told her.

"W-When did you learn how to shoot?" she asked me.

I blinked with surprise, taken aback by that question. "Well... It was when this all started. I was saved by this girl and a police officer." I begin, remembering the two who had saved me. "The officer told me that I needed to know how to defend myself from those things, so he set a few cans on a fence and had me aim at them. First time I fired a gun, the kickback caused it to fly back into my forehead." I wince, remembering the pain I felt from that.

Sarah cringed. "That sounds like it hurt..."

I nodded. "Trust me, it did. But I managed to shoot the cans on the fence."

"What happened to the two that saved you?" she asks.

I sigh sadly. "Walkers got 'em..."

Sarah's eyes widened. "Oh..."

Those two were a of the few people who were kind to me...

They were great people...

I sigh again before I look at Sarah. "Okay, so when you aim to shoot, don't lock your elbows." I tell her as I gently lift her arms up and make sure her elbows aren't locked. She nods. "O-okay..."

"Remember what Clem told ya back at the cabin?" I inquire, remembering what the younger girl had taught her.

Sarah nodded. "Y-yeah... She told me to always aim for the head when firing at a walker... but didn't tell me about shooting cans..."

"Well, my advice for that is when you go to shoot, don't pull the trigger too quickly. If you wanna hit what you're aiming at, don't pull the trigger too fast." I instruct, repeating the words that the officer had told me two and a half years ago.

She nodded and aimed at a can on the boulder. I made sure that her elbows weren't locked before I nodded. "Go."

Sarah pulled the trigger and gasped from the kickback. "Ow!"

"You okay?" I questioned.

She nodded. "Y-yeah... I wasn't expecting that..."

My gaze wandered over to the boulder and my eye widened. "Hey! You got one!"

She gasped and followed my gaze. She had shot a can off of the boulder! Nice!

She smiled. "I... I did it!"

I smiled also. "Nice job! See if you can hit the other one."

Sarah nodded and aimed at the other can I set on the boulder. She pulled the trigger and the bullet hit the can, knocking it off the boulder. She smiled at me. "I got it!" she exclaimed.

"Good job!" I praised, but my smile fell. "Now... Let's see if you can shoot a walker."

Her smile immediately fell. Her eyes widened and she gasped. "A-Are you sure I can?"

I look at her. "Are you?"

She stuttered, "I-I don't know..."

I looked to my left and saw a lone walker stumbling around. It didn't see us... Good.

"See if you can shoot that one." I say as I point at the walker. Shakily, she aimed at the walker and fired. However, the aim was off and she hit it in the shoulder. The walker stumbled from the blow before it turned to us with a snarl. Ah, shit...

"Uh... Sarah? Remember what I said about aiming at the head?" I ask.

Her eyes widened behind her glasses. "R-Right!" she gasped before she aimed the gun at the walker. Just as it started coming towards us, Sarah pulled the trigger and a butler hole appeared in the walker's forehead before it collapsed. Sarah stood there shaking as she slowly lowered the gun.

"I... I... S-shot it..." she stammered.

I looked at her, remembering when I shot my first walker...

My reaction was almost the same...

"Sarah...?" I ask slowly. "You okay?"

She gulped before she looked at me. "Y-yeah... I-I think so..."

I looked around, making sure that the noise hadn't attracted more walkers. When I saw none were in sight, I turned back to Sarah. "Come on... We should go back..."

She shakily nodded. "Y-Yeah..."

We turned around and started walking back to the observation deck. After a moment, Sarah decided to speak up. "I... I never shot one of those things before..."

"You're gonna have to shoot more later on, Sarah..." I say.

She looked at me. "Anne... I heard you talking to Dylan yesterday..."

I stiffened. She heard that?

"What did you hear?" I ask.

"I heard you talking about a boy who hurt you..." she said.

I frowned. "Yes... He hurt me... And almost hurt me even worse... But my grandpa came to save me in time..."

"Do you... think your grandpa is still out there?" Sarah asked.

I sighed. "I don't know... but I hope he's alive..."

That man was one of the few people who cared about me... who cared enough to protect me from bullies...

I just hope he's okay...

* * *

Sarah and I enter through the door. I let Sarah go in first before I close the door behind us. I then look back at her.

"Come on..."

She shakily nodded and we began to climb up the stairs. As we reached the top, I see Tess standing outside the gift shop with her arms crossed.

"Hey, Tess." I greeted.

Her eyes widened and she looked at me. "Anne! Sarah! Where the hell have you been?!"

I walked up to her with Sarah behind me. "I was teachin' Sarah how to shoot." I replied.

Tess blinked in realization. "Then... Those gunshots..."

"That was Sarah shooting a couple cans and a walker."

Her eyes widened. "She took out a walker?!"

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah. All by herself." I confirmed.

"Holy shit. Good job, Sarah!" Tess praised.

Sarah looked down at her feet shyly. "Thanks... I guess..." she muttered. I looked past Tess and noticed that the others were starting to pack their things up. I rose an eyebrow.

"What's goin' on?" I ask.

Tess sighed. "Rebecca insisted on leaving. We told her that she should get another day's rest, but she and Kenny insisted that we leave today. So... we're leaving."

My eye widened. "You mean, like, today?" I asked.

She nodded. "Today." she repeated. "Better get your stuff ready..."

I nodded and stepped into the gift shop. I grabbed my guitar and slung it over my shoulder. I could see Dylan next to me and looking at me. "Anne... about last night..."

I looked up at him, blushing slightly. "Uh... Yeah..."

"Sorry..." he muttered.

"What for?" I ask, smiling lightly. He smiled back before he resumed packing.

A few more minutes later, we all stood by the entrance of the gift shop, with what supplies we had left to spare.

"Everybody ready?" Kenny asked us. Bonnie and Emily supported a pale looking Rebecca as she held her baby son.

"Yeah..." Rebecca responded weakly.

Kenny then turned around and started walking to the other room leading downstairs.

"Then let's go."

* * *

The snow fluttered down from the sky. I could feel the cold breeze hit my skin as we walked down the path. A couple hours had passed since we had left the observation deck, and Rebecca was getting weaker and weaker...

This is bad...

I shivered as I rubbed my arms to keep myself warm.

This sucks...

I could hear Sarah shivering behind me. "I-it's s-so c-cold..." she shivered.

"I-I know, Sarah..." I replied.

Tess shivered as Nick wrapped his arms around her to help keep them both warm. "You okay, Tess?" I ask.

"I'm fine..." she replies. "Let's just keep moving..."

"How's Rebecca?" Chase inquired.

Emily looked over her shoulder back at him as she helped Bonnie support Rebecca. "She's not doing so hot..." she answered with a worried expression.

"I-I'm fine..." Rebecca answered with a weak whisper.

She's getting even weaker... Not good...

I looked to the left and to the right, searching for any sign of walkers. None so far...

Suddenly, Rebecca fell to her knees, but Bonnie and Emily caught her.

"You alright?" Bonnie asked.

"She's exhausted." Luke spoke up. "We're all exhausted." Luke then frowned at Kenny, who frowned back.

"I can keep going..." Rebecca muttered as she weakly stood up. We then continued our trek. Then Kenny spoke up.

"We should've left right away, instead of waitin' around... We coulda found more food and been someplace warm days ago!"

"We did the right thing." Luke argued. "She was in no condition to move."

"She's worse, now!" Kenny retorted.

"We could still turn back."

"I agree... it's still better than freezing to death out here..." Tess muttered.

Kenny shook his head. "That's not an option. Everybody hang in there. We gotta keep movin' if we're gonna make it to that town before nightfall."

"You don't even listen to anyone else! You just go on barkin' orders!" Luke snapped. "You gotta lighten up, okay? You're pushing 'em too hard!"

"I'm just doin' what has to be done." Kenny frowned.

"You're not helping anything by arguing." Clementine said.

"Well, don't forget you agreed with me on waiting to leave camp until today." Luke told her as he held his AK-47.

"Would you and Kenny just stop arguing for once?" Tess sighed. Luke looked at her with a frown.

"Hey, he keeps barkin' orders without us agreein'!" Luke told her.

"Cause he's trying to help the group." Emily interjected.

"By pushing us?"

I groaned, getting annoyed by this. "Would you all knock it off?!"

Suddenly, Rebecca fell to her side. "Rebecca!" Bonnie gasped as she and Emily knelt down to help her. The baby boy then began to whine.

Shit...

"Here's a place she could sit." Shel said as she pointed over to a tire. Bonnie and Emily helped Rebecca up and helped her sit down on the tire.

"Rebecca, let me take the baby." Kenny told her.

Rebecca let out a sigh of exhaustion. "He's okay... I got him..."

"No, you rest for a minute. I'll watch him." Kenny insisted.

Luke frowned. "Back off, Kenny! She said she doesn't want you to take the baby. Don't be weird about it, okay?"

"I ain't bein' weird about it!" Kenny snapped.

"Yeah, you kinda have been, and just not right now."

I shook my head. "You two need to shut up, okay?"

"Someone's cranky." Becca muttered as she stood by her older sister.

I ignored Becca's comment, glaring at the two men. "You two are acting like kids!"

"Anne's right. Both of you just stop butting heads!" Tess agreed.

The sound of metal squeaking catches my ears, as well as the others'. We all turn around and see a figure in the distance.

"Hello?!"

The voice sounded familiar... but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Clementine rose an eyebrow. "Arvo?"

My eye widened. It's that guy from the deck?!

"Arvo?" Bonnie questioned.

"Who's he?" Sarah asked.

"Jane, Anne, and I met him on the observation deck. Before everyone else came." Clem explained.

"That's the guy?" Luke asked as he rose an eyebrow. Kenny turned to Clementine. "You and Anne know this sonuvabitch? What's he want?" he inquired.

"He doesn't look like much..." Bonnie observed.

"He has a sick sister. They might be in trouble." Clem says.

"Huh... alright..." Luke muttered.

Why would he come to us?

We all took a few steps forward as he walked closer to us. Honestly, how was he able to survive that long with that limp?!

As he neared us, Kenny hid a gun behind his leg. "Hello. Your name is Clementine, yes?" Arvo inquires.

"Hi, Arvo." Clem greets. He then looks at me. "And your name is Anne, yes?" he asks me.

I nod cautiously. "Yeah..."

What does he want? Why would he come to us out here?

"These are your friends?" Arvo asked as he looked at the rest of the group. "I am hoping you can help me now, not like before. All of you can help."

"Well, what do ya need?" I question. "How can we help?" Clem joined in.

"I need a... things for- bandages. I need bandages." Arvo hesitated.

"Are you hurt?" Shel asked.

Arvo then looked down. "No."

Suddenly, I heard a man shout in a different language. Three people had stepped out of the woods aiming an FN SLP, an assault rifle, and a Beretta 92FS Inox at us.

WHAT THE?!

"Oh God... Becca, get behind me!" Shel instructed. Becca, for once, didn't argue. The woman aiming the Beretta at us said something to Arvo in a different language, and Arvo responded with the same language. The two other men laughed before the bald tattooed man with the pale green coat said something in the same language that the woman had spoke.

"What...?" I questioned.

"They're speaking in Russian." Chase answered.

I rose an eyebrow as I looked at Arvo's group cautiously. "How do you know?"

"Our dad made us study it when we were in Europe." Dylan explained.

"We don't want any trouble..." Clem told Arvo cautiously.

"I told them you are the ones who robbed me." Arvo said. "They think it's funny that you're just a little girl... and they want you and your friends to put down the guns so we can take your things."

My eye widened. WHAT?!

"'Robbed'?" Kenny asked.

That liar! We never robbed him! We let him go and he up and lied to his group about us?!

"Whoa, whoa! Hold on, now!" Luke said.

"What the hell?" Kenny frowned.

"Nobody get excited..." Mike tried to calm things down.

Tess looked at me. "Anne, you robbed this guy?!" she asked me incredulously. I shook my head with a frown. "No. He's lying. Clem and I never robbed him." I answered before I looked at Arvo with a scowl. "It was Jane who took your stuff! Not any of us!"

Arvo looked around. "'Jane'... Where is the other woman?" he questioned us.

The Russian man wearing the pale green coat said something in Russian to Arvo, who retuned with the same language.

"What'd he say?" I asked Chase.

"He asked 'What are they talking about?' and Arvo said 'The woman who attacked me is not here'" he translated to me, keeping his eyes on the two Russians. Arvo then shifted his attention to Clementine. "I don't see the woman who was with you." Arvo said.

"She's gone. She left the group." Clem explained.

Arvo shook his head. "It's a trap! I know it!" he said before turning to his group and saying something in Russian. The Russian survivors aimed their guns at us and took a step forward, but we reacted quickly. We pulled out our guns and aimed them at the men and woman.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Kenny snapped as Shel, Emily, and Nick aimed at the man with the pale green coat. Nick stood in front of Tess protectively. "Tess, stay behind me!" he ordered.

"Back off!" Becca snapped.

Chase, Mike, and Kenny aimed at the man with the dark blue coat behind us. Luke and Dylan aimed at Arvo while Bonnie aimed at the woman next to him.

I gripped my gun tightly as Sarah shakily stood behind me.

"This can be easy for you..." Arvo told us.

The bald man with the pale green coat spoke again. "What'd he say?" I ask Dylan.

"He said 'Arvo, tell them to put their guns down!'" he translated before he turned back to Arvo with a frown. "But that ain't happening until they put THEIR guns down!"

"All of you just put your guns down. This will be fine..." Arvo tried to calm things down.

"Fine, my ass!" Kenny growled.

"Stop this bullshit!" Chase exclaimed.

I looked back and forth at the Russian survivors aiming at us. Dammit... this cannot end well...

"Please... we have a baby!" Clementine cried out.

Right after she said this, the baby started to whine. Arvo's eyes widened as he looked at the baby in Rebecca's arms. Speaking of Rebecca, she wasn't looking too good... she was slumped over...

"You have a baby with you?!" he asked incredulously. He then spoke in Russian. The bald man with the tattoos stepped out of the bushes and noticed the baby. He then said something in Russian, but I didn't even bother to ask Chase or Dylan what he was saying due to the FREAKING SHOTGUN HE WAS AIMING AT US!

"Drop that now or I'm gonna fucking shoot!" Kenny exclaimed.

"Just stop! We have a pregnant woman with us!" Luke exclaimed.

Tess's eyes widened, as well as mine and Nick's. "Luke, what the fuck?!" Tess exclaimed.

"You can't risk getting shot in your condition, Tess!" Luke told her before turning back to Arvo.

"Pregnant?! The fuck you talkin' about?!" Kenny growled before he turned back to the man aiming the assault rifle.

Damn it... of all the times to tell, it had to be now, Luke?!

"You! Don't even try it, motherfucker! I guarantee you that I'm a better shot than you are! I'll drop you both before you can even blink!" Bonnie yelled at the woman and Arvo.

"Everyone! Please! Oh, no!" Arvo desperately tried to calm things down, but it wasn't working.

"Drop your weapons or I'll shoot!" Emily exclaimed, scowling. "I don't wanna do this, but if you shoot, you'll leave me no choice!"

I could hear Sarah whimpering with slight fear behind me. "A-Anne... w-what do we do?!" she asked me.

I couldn't think of the answer to that one...

"Drop it! Don't make me do this!" Nick roared.

As the group continued to shout at the Russian survivors, I could hear the baby boy start to cry.

"Hey! It doesn't have to go down like this!" I exclaimed as I clutch the gun in my hands tightly.

"Everybody be cool! Don't shoot!" Mike tried to reason, but with no effect. "I don't wanna shoot, but I will if you make me! Look at me! Do you hear me?!"

"Put your weapons down and no one will get hurt!" Dylan shouted at Arvo.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Clementine staring at Rebecca with a worried expression. The woman was slumped over the baby and wasn't moving.

Oh God... what happened?!

Rebecca's fingers twitched, and a snarl escaped her lips. She opened her eyes, which were now a milky white.

Suddenly, a gunshot pierced the air. I gasped and saw that Clementine had shot Rebecca in the head.

Oh my God!

"NO!" Luke exclaimed.

The tattooed man then raised his gun.

Oh, shit!

"SARAH, GET DOWN!" I screamed before I shoved Sarah down to the ground.

And that's when the gunshots began.


	28. Worth the Risk

**I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

As soon as the gunshots began, everyone scrambled to a place to hide from the bullets.

I dove down and landed on my stomach next to Sarah, covering my head as more gunshots were heard.

My ears were ringing from the sound...

I lifted my head up and saw that Sarah was covering her head like I was. "Sarah!" I exclaimed.

She looked at me with fear evident in her eyes. "A-Anne! What do we do?!"

My gaze wandered over to a wall on the side of the path. Luke, Dylan, Tess, and Nick were hiding behind it. "See that wall over there? Get over there when I say 'now'!"

She nodded fearfully. I looked around, waiting for a chance. I noticed the man with the green coat had stepped out of the bushes and opened fire on the others.

Raising my Glock 17, I aimed it at the man's leg and fired.

The bullet zipped through the air and hit the man's leg. The tattooed man let out a cry of pain before he fell to the ground on his back.

"NOW! RUN, SARAH!" I scream. Sarah immediately got up and darted behind the wall, out of harm's way.

I duck back down as more gunshots are heard. I see the woman who was standing next to Arvo fall to the ground with a bullet hole in her chest.

"NO!" Arvo cried as he knelt down to the woman's side, trying to stop the bleeding. "NATASHA! NATASHA!"

I heard another bullet zip through the air, followed by a grunt of pain from Mike. "Ah! Shit, I'm hit, I'm hit!" Mike exclaimed as he held his shoulder.

"Mike, get over here!" Bonnie called from behind a tree.

I could see Shel hiding behind the tree with Bonnie with Becca close to her, helping Bonnie fire at the man.

Luke and Dylan fired at the man with the assault rifle before ducking back down. "Anne! Come on!" Tess exclaimed as she fired at the tattooed man. "Tess, duck!" Nick yelled as he fired a round at the Russian man.

"Clem! Anne! Hurry, get over here!" Luke yelled.

As I looked to my left, I saw Kenny hiding behind a tree firing at the man with the assault rifle.

"Fuck you! You started this shit!" Kenny yelled before he ducked back behind the tree. The Russian man shouted something in his native language as he fired again. "You fired first! You asked for it!" Chase yelled back at the Russian man. I saw him duck behind a tree with Emily before the crimson and raven haired woman fired at the tattooed man. Emily looked towards me. "Anne, Clementine, move! Get to cover!" she screamed.

I started crawling my way over the wall, but a bullet hit the ground next to me, surprising me.

WHOA!

I peered up, seeing the tattooed man firing relentlessly at us.

"Fuck..." I whispered before I started crawling faster. I heard the man yell something at me in Russian as I jumped up and darted to the wall. I jumped behind it just as a bullet zipped past my shoulder, almost hitting it.

"Anne! You okay?!" Dylan asked me as Sarah crouched behind the wall with him. "No, I nearly got shot twice!" I retort as I crouch down. "Where's Clem and the baby?!"

Dylan's eyes widened. "They're still out there!" he exclaimed.

Oh God!

"They're WHAT?!" I exclaim.

I peered from where I was hiding and saw Clementine crawling towards the baby. "Clem! Hurry, get over here!" Luke called as he ducked back down. Clem scrambled to her feet, avoiding the bullets as she darted towards the baby. I then saw her scoop the baby up in her arms before darting over to us and hiding behind one of the walls. Luke's eyes widened at the baby. "Holy shit. I didn't even see him out there!" he gasped. "Good work, Clem!"

"Is he okay?!" I called. Clementine nodded. "Yeah, he's fine!" she replied as she held the baby close to her.

I sighed with relief. Oh, thank God!

I saw Luke get up to fire, but he quickly ducked back down as one of the Russians fired at us again. "Shit... Okay... okay, we gotta do somethin', y'all! We're pinned down here!" he told us.

"No shit!" Dylan retorted.

"We can't just sit here and let this guy shoot at us 'til he runs outta ammo..." Luke pointed out as the tattooed man I had shot in the leg continued to fire at us.

"Just stay down, Luke... you're gonna get your head blown off!" Clem pointed out.

"Kid's got a point, Luke!" I say, turning to face him. Luke shook his head. "We can't just sit here!" he insisted.

I saw Kenny shoot at the Russian man with the assault rifle before hiding behind the tree again. "This don't have to get any worse than it already is! You can just go!" he exclaimed. The man with the assault rifle shook his head and spoke in Russian. Kenny frowned. "English, motherfucker!" he yelled.

The man up and aimed his assault rifle at where Kenny was hiding. "I kill every one of you!" the man yelled in English before he fired. However, Kenny was protected by the tree he was hiding behind.

"If I can just get over to that side of the wall, I could maybe get an angle on this guy! Cover me, alright?" he told Clementine. "Just shoot over towards the woods... it'll give him somethin' to think about..."

Clem nodded. "I-I'll try..."

Luke nodded. "Good... I just need the distraction. Okay? Alright, on my go..."

"I'll help!" I say as I get my Glock 17 ready.

"Alright... GO!"

Clem and I got up and we each fired a shot at the man who was firing at Kenny. The bullets hit the boulder the Russian man was hiding behind, forcing him to duck down. Luke then got up and started hustling over to where Clem was, but suddenly, the Russian man popped back up and aimed his assault rifle at him.

My eye widened. "LUKE, LOOK OUT!"

The man then fired. Luke screamed in pain as a bullet hit his leg.

"Luke, NO!" Tess gasped.

As Luke started crawling over to where Clem was, the tattooed man lifted his shotgun and aimed it at Luke.

NO!

Suddenly, another gunshot rang out through the air and the bald tattooed man collapsed with a bullet hole in his head. My eye widened and I looked up to see that it was Kenny who had fired that shot, saving Luke.

The other Russian man fired at Kenny angrily after seeing him shoot the tattooed man. Luke then pulled himself over to the wall Clem was hiding behind.

"Luke! Are you okay?!" Clem gasped out.

Luke gripped his leg and winced. "Well, he got me in the leg, but... I think... I think it went straight through... shit, I don't know." Luke replied somewhat painfully before he winced. "I'm gonna be fine... I think I'm gonna be fine."

"Dammit, Luke! You should've stayed down!" I hiss as I stay crouched down with Dylan and Sarah.

"Oh my god! Luke!" Tess gasped from her spot.

"You okay, man?!" Nick called.

Luke winced. "I'm fine! I think..."

I got up and fired off another round at the man behind the boulder before ducking back down. I heard the man shout something in Russian, causing Dylan to growl. "DON'T CALL HER THAT!" he roared angrily at the man.

I rose an eyebrow. "What'd he say?!" I asked. Dylan looked at me. "You do NOT wanna know." he answered dryly.

I then noticed Kenny stomping over to Arvo, who was crouched down by the woman, Natasha. My visible eye widened as Kenny roughly grabbed Arvo and held his gun at his temple. "You get out here right now or I put a bullet in this kid's head!" Kenny threatened as Arvo struggled to get out of his grip, speaking in Russian.

Emily gasped. "Kenny, no! Let him go!"

"Kenny, what are you doing?!" Clementine asked.

"I'm ending this." Kenny answered, not releasing his grip on Arvo. "Get out here! Right fuckin' now!" he ordered.

The Russian man got up and aimed the assault rifle at Kenny, speaking in his native language.

Kenny growled as Arvo continued to struggle. "Quit fightin' me, boy! You think I'm bluffing?! Get out here NOW!" he demanded.

Emily stayed behind the tree with Chase as she watched this. "Kenny, don't!" she yelled. "This isn't the way!"

My ears then picked up groaning and snarling. I saw Natasha twitch before she got up and started crawling. I could see her skin was pale and her eyes were milky white. Oh God, she turned! And she was starting to crawl towards Clem and the baby!

"Clementine, look out!" I warned. Clem gasped as she saw the walker crawl towards them. I got my gun ready to aim, but Clementine aimed her Glock 17 at Natasha's head and pulled the trigger, putting the recently turned walker out of its misery. The walker instantly collapsed as blood poured out from the gunshot.

Arvo's eyes widened. "NOOOOO!" he screamed as he got out of Kenny's grip and rushed to the corpse. As soon as Arvo was out of the way, the Russian man open fired on Kenny. Luckily, Kenny dove to the ground as the man started shooting. Arvo crawled over to the corpse, tears streaming down his face. "No! Natasha! Natasha! My sister, please! No!" he cried out.

My visible eye widened. He really did have a sister!

Then... that means...

Clem had shot his undead sister...

I could see Arvo glare hatefully at Clementine, tears still streaming down his face.

Did he know his sister was already dead?

My attention was torn from Arvo as the Russian man with the assault rifle stepped out and aimed the gun at Kenny, angrily speaking in Russian. He then stopped in mid sentence when a faint THUNK was heard. He let out a grunt of pain and had a wide eyed look as he started gurgling... with a trickle of blood pouring out of his mouth.

What the...

As he turned around, I could see a knife sticking out of the back of his neck.

My stomach lurched at the sight and I silently gasped. Oh my God...

The man turned around as he choked on his own blood, seeing the person who had stabbed him. My eye widened at who was behind him.

IT WAS JANE!

She came back!

I saw Jane had a wide eyed look as she slowly backed away from the man. The man collapsed on his knees and started flailing his arms at her as he gurgled. Kenny then got up, walked over to him, and shot the man in the head, the gurgling ceasing immediately.

Jane looked at Kenny with a shocked before looking back at the now dead man, then back at him. Kenny looked over his shoulder and towards the walls some of us were hiding behind. "It's safe to come out, now." he called.

Shakily, I get to my feet. Bonnie, Shel, Mike, Becca, Emily, and Chase came out from their hiding places in the trees. "Here, I got him..." Bonnie told Clementine as the girl gently placed the baby in her arms. Chase walked over to Dylan and I. "You guys okay?" he asked with concern. I nodded. "Y-Yeah..." I replied. Sarah shakily stood up and looked around. "I-Is it over?" she asked. Chase nodded. "Yeah... like Kenny said, it's safe to come out." he told her.

Emily rushed over to Tess and hugged her. "Are you okay?!" Emily asked. Tess nodded. "I'm fine, Emily." she replied. Emily pulled away from her and looked at Tess with a mixture of sadness and confusion. "Why didn't you tell us?" the crimson and raven haired woman questioned.

Tess didn't answer and looked down sadly.

I sighed before we all gathered, except for Clem and Jane, who were talking to each other by the forest. Kenny glared at Tess. "Why the fuck didn't you tell us you were pregnant?!" he snapped.

"Hey, don't talk to her like that!" Nick growled.

"She kept this from the entire group! We have ANOTHER pregnant lady with us and you expect me to be all 'Oh, you're pregnant, no big deal'?!" Kenny frowned.

"She had a good reason to keep it a secret." I say.

Kenny whirled around and glared at me. "You knew about this?!"

Shit...

I crossed my arms. "Yeah, I knew! I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone about it!"

"Why?!" Kenny demanded.

"Because I didn't want anyone to get so worked up over me!" Tess exclaimed, gaining the others' attention. "Listen, we had Rebecca to worry about because she was so close to giving birth and I didn't want to stress anyone out even more! I didn't want anyone to get so worked up over me, okay?!"

"No, it's not okay! We have another baby to worry about now! So that means we have to find shelter soon!" Kenny snapped.

I frowned and walked away from the group, heading over to Clementine and Jane. I wonder why she came back...?

"A-Are you okay?" Clementine asked.

Jane was silent for a moment. "Yeah... I think so..." she replied before looking down at the man. "I didn't know this man... I've never killed someone who didn't wrong me in some way... that didn't deserve it... Tried to pretend he was a walker... but... It's different..."

I looked down at the man and felt sick once I saw the bullet hole in his head. God...

"I'm sorry you had to..." Clementine told her.

Jane and I looked down at her. "Why do I get the feeling you know all about it?" Jane asked.

We all looked back at the group, which Kenny had approached and tossed Luke the gun the Russian survivor had.

"Come on, Jane..." Clem told the older woman.

Jane let out a sigh. "... okay."

The three of us walked back to the group, who had gathered around the corpse of Rebecca. Sarah sniffled at the sight of our now dead friend. I looked at the lifeless body of Rebecca sadly. Hard to believe that when we first met, she and I were at each other's throats almost all the time... and later we became friends...

And now she's gone...

"God..." Becca breathed out at the sight of the corpse.

"How did this happen?" Mike asked, holding his wounded shoulder.

Luke sighed. "She... turned. Just like that."

"Clem... spotted it first. Did what she had to do to protect the child..." Bonnie brought up.

"It's a good thing, too... who knows what would have happened if she hadn't shot her..." Tess says.

"This isn't your fault, okay? She... she just lost too much blood... It ain't nobody's fault..." Luke told Clementine.

Sarah sniffled. "So... t-there was nothing we could do to help?" she asked.

Emily shook her head sadly. "No... she was just... too far gone..." the crimson and raven haired woman said.

Chase shook his head. "Goddamn..." he muttered.

I looked down at the corpse. "You saved the boy's life, Clem..." I told her.

"She's... with Alvin, now..." Clem said sadly.

Oh, God... Alvin...

Tess nodded sadly. "Yeah... she is..."

"Don't worry, Bec... we'll take care of your boy... you rest easy..." Bonnie said to the corpse sadly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kenny stomp towards Arvo, who was still by his sister's corpse. I saw him grab Arvo and punch him. "You piece of shit!" he exclaimed. "Hey!" Bonnie said before she handed the baby to Clementine. Mike shoved Kenny away from Arvo as he and Luke stood in front of the Russian teen protectively. "It's over, man! He ain't a threat to us!" Mike tried to reason.

"How can you say that?! Of course he is!" Kenny snapped.

"Kenny, calm down!" Emily said as she stepped up to him. Kenny shook his head as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at Arvo. "Get out of the way!" he demanded.

"What're you doing?!" Mike exclaimed.

"I'm doin' the same thing this asshole tried to do to us!" the man answered.

"Kenny, you don't have to do this!" Emily tried to reason. Kenny glared at her. "I'm done playin' games, Em!" he snapped.

"Kenny, his sister is dead! He's lost enough already! You don't have to do this..." Clem reasoned.

The man remained silent, but kept his gun trained on Arvo. Then the Russian teen spoke up, "There is house, food... please. Please, I can take you!"

This caught my attention. He has a house? And there's food?

Maybe we could stay there... in case Tess goes into labor early...

"Bullshit!" Kenny scoffed.

Arvo shook his head. "No, no! Is true! We have place! Not far. Food!" the Russian teen insisted.

"See? He wants to help!" Luke pointed out.

Kenny's aim didn't waver. "Oh, don't be stupid! He's just tellin' us that to try and save his own skin! Why the hell would you help us?! Huh?!" he asked the Russian teen.

"I... I not want to see more people dead!" Arvo tearfully said in broken English.

"Then close your eyes and I'll make it quick." Kenny seethed.

"Kenny, that's enough!" Emily frowned.

"If he's tellin' the truth, he could save all of us!" Bonnie pointed out.

"And if it's a trap, we'll all be dead!" Kenny shot back.

"But if it ain't a trap and we don't go there, all of us could die out here!" I snapped as I crossed my arms.

"We need the food! None of this will matter if we all starve to death." Clementine said.

"She's right, Kenny. We're runnin' low on supplies as it is." Bonnie piped up.

Jane nodded. "It's worth the risk to check this place out. Trust him or don't trust him, it doesn't matter. We should go anyway. We just need to be careful. It can't be far from here."

Kenny shot a glare at Jane. "You stay outta this! YOU'RE the reason these fuckers came after us in the first place!" he blamed. "Don't try and pin this on me." Jane frowned.

"Kenny, lay off of her. She just helped us!" Chase snapped.

I let out a growl of frustration. "Oh, for the love of god, I was there with her when it happened! It's my fault!" I say.

"It's my fault, too." Clem agreed.

"Think about the baby, Kenny!" Bonnie reasoned. "If there's supplies, we need 'em. We ain't gonna last much longer out here without food. We gotta take a chance."

"And what if Tess goes into labor early?!" I point out. "She can't have the baby out here! Too damn cold! We have to take this chance! For the baby and Tess's baby!"

"Anne's right, Kenny! The babies could die out here if we don't find someplace warm!" Emily agreed.

Kenny looked down, thinking about what we had said. Then, Kenny let out a sigh and put his gun away. "We got somethin' to tie this shitbird up with?" he asked.

Bonnie sighed. "Yeah... I got something..." she muttered as she reached into her backpack and pulled out some rope. She started to tie up Arvo's hands. "Follow me, I take you." Arvo said. "Just gimme a reason..." Kenny seethed. "Yeah, man. He gets it!" Luke frowned. He took a step forward, but let out a wince.

Mike helped him up and supported him as we started to walk.

I looked back at the corpse of Rebecca one last time before I turned around and followed the group.

Rebecca... don't worry...

We'll keep your baby safe...

* * *

I walked by Jane and Clementine as I caught up with the group. Jane then sighed. "Look... I know you're probably pissed about me leaving... when I... when I heard the gunshots, I knew it was a mistake. If it helps, the thing I'd normally do is walk away for good." she told Clementine.

"I'm not pissed. I'm glad you're back. I didn't want you to go in the first place." Clem said.

Jane smiled. "Thanks. That's... that's good, because you're probably ninety percent of the reason I came back. And it'd probably get pretty annoying if you hated me all the time."

Clementine smirked. "Wouldn't want it to be annoying."

"No. That would suck. I'm gonna try to make this work. All I can do is... promise you I won't abandon you again. Which, to be fair, I've never done before... even though I should have... a few times now." Jane told Clementine.

I rose an eyebrow. "Why DID you leave in the first place, anyway?" I asked.

Jane let out a sigh. "It was because I felt that this group was falling apart... and I didn't want to get caught up in it if it happened..." Jane explained. "Soon as I heard the gunshots, I immediately came running."

She left us just because she thought we were starting to fall apart? Damn...

"Hey, you don't have to point the gun at him the whole time." Mike piped up, gaining our attention.

"You forget what we just went through?" Kenny asked as he pointed his gun at Arvo as we walked. "He ain't going anywhere, Kenny. No need to get your arm all sore..." Bonnie told him.

"I'm worried about Kenny..." Jane said. "He's... he's in a dark place right now... We gotta keep an eye on him. Everything that he's been through... that he's lost... it's changed him..."

I looked at Kenny as Jane said this. I think she's right... ever since Sarita... he's been snapping at almost everyone...

"He'll be okay. I"ve known him a while." Clem told Jane.

"Well, it's all starting to pile up. It's weighing on him. Everyone has a breaking point." Jane sighed.

I sighed and we were silent for a moment. Then I remembered something.

"Oh yeah. Almost forgot." I piped up, gaining Jane and Clem's attention. "What?" Jane asked.

I then comically smacked her upside the head.

"OW!"

"That was for leaving." I say.

Jane rubbed her head as she frowned at me. I rolled my visible eye before I quickened my pace, leaving Jane and Clementine to talk as I caught up with Dylan. "Hey..." I greeted. Dylan looked at me. "Hey..." he replied.

"You okay?" I asked him.

"Well, I don't got any bullet wounds, do I?" Dylan smirked, but his smile fell. "I hope that guy's tellin' the truth... we need shelter... who knows when Tess will go into labor..."

I sighed. "Sorry I didn't tell you. I just promised her not to tell anyone..."

"You don't have to apologize..." he told me before he looked at Luke. "Damn... hope Luke can pull through with that wound..."

"Luke's strong, Dylan. He'll pull through." I say.

"I bet he will." Dylan smiled at me.

I said nothing as we continued walking. I then shivered. "Damn, it's cold..." I muttered as I rubbed my arms.

"Yeah..." Dylan agreed before he wrapped an arm around me. I blushed and rose an eyebrow. "W-What're you doing?" I asked.

"You said it's cold, so I'm keepin' you warm." Dylan replied. I blushed deeply. "Uh... thank you..." I stuttered.

"No problem."

I paid no attention to the smirk Chase was sending us. I just kept walking as Dylan held me close to him.


	29. Stop to Rest

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters **

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I could feel the cold breeze hit my face as we walked.

Luke's sudden grunt of pain alerted us. Mike supported him as Luke fell into the snow.

"Luke, you okay?" Emily asked with concern.

"Wait up! Wait, we need to stop." Bonnie called to the others with the baby in her arms.

Luke shook his head. "No! No, I-I'm fine, okay? I just need a second. Sorry, I-I just put more weight on it than I should've."

Kenny glared at Arvo. "Alright, wait there." he ordered as he gestured to a spot near a boulder with his gun. The Russian didn't seem to hear him since he continued to slowly limp.

"Hey! What'd I say?!" Kenny demanded as he stormed over to him and shoved him to the ground. "When I tell you something, you fuckin' listen, you understand?!"

Mike frowned at Kenny's behavior as he and Emily helped Luke sit down. "Kenny, come on! There's no need for that!"

"He's gettin' what he deserves." Kenny spat out coldly.

All of us stared at Kenny with disbelief as he looked back down at Arvo. "I'm fuckin' talking to you! I say stop, you'd best stop! If you know what's good for you..."

Has Kenny lost it? He just seems to take his anger out on Arvo now...

"Kenny! He understands!" Clementine told him.

"There's no need to treat him like this!" Emily agreed.

Kenny glared down at Arvo, seemingly ignoring the two. "Just fuckin' stay put." he ordered.

Mike sighed. "I'm gonna go have a word with Kenny. He doesn't have to treat him that way. Kid's been through enough..." He paused to look at Bonnie as she held the baby. "You alright here?"

The redhead nodded. "Yeah. Go on and talk to him. I got Clem and the others if I need anything."

"Okay." Mike said with a nod.

"Here, just take the baby?" Bonnie requested.

"Ah... Okay..." Mike said uncertainly as Bonnie gently handed him the baby. As Mike and Jane walked over to Kenny to talk to him, Bonnie knelt down by Luke's side.

"What is it with you guys?" she asked.

Luke rose an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Every man I've known is always tryin' to let each other know how tough they are. Put 'em in their place..." she explained as Clem, Tess, and I walked over to them. "Bunch a dominant, alpha male horseshit. And it all ends the same."

Luke shook his head. "Don't look at me! I ain't that guy."

"Oh, that ain't true. You get into your fair share of pissin' matches, too." Bonnie told him.

"Do I?"

"Are you kidding, Luke? Yes." Tess chimed in.

"They're just scared... that's when it happens... when they don't know what to do." Clem said.

Bonnie let out a sigh. "Yeah. That makes sense to me."

Luke looked at Jane, Kenny, and Mike. "Guess it took a woman to talk some sense into 'em. Looks like Jane broke it up." he observed.

"Clementine, keep pressure on the wound, okay? I'm gonna go fetch some bandages. Tess, mind helping me?" Bonnie asked as she looked at Tess.

Tess nodded and the two started to walk away. "Hey, Bonnie." Luke suddenly called. The two stopped and looked back at him.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

I rose an eyebrow hearing this. What's he sorry about?

"For what?" Bonnie asked with a shrug. Luke and Bonnie were silent for a moment as they exchanged looks. "I'll be right back..."

And with that, Bonnie and Tess walked away. Clementine put pressure on Luke's bullet wound, making him wince.

"Ow! Dammit..." he hissed.

"How are you feeling, Luke?" I asked as I knelt down.

"If I'm bein' honest... I've been better..." he answered.

Clementine kept silent as she put pressure on the wound. The three of us were silent for a moment before Luke let out a sigh. "How did we get here?" he asked. I rose an eyebrow. "Whaddya mean?" I questioned.

"Sittin' in the snow... leaned up against a tree... bullet in my leg... but alive." Luke paused to look at Tess, Bonnie, Jane, Emily, and Kenny, who were talking. "When almost all of my friends are dead... for no good reason..." he continued. "And I couldn't do anything to stop it... Nearly everyone we set out with, just... gone. Pete... Alvin and Rebecca... Carlos... And for what?"

I felt a pang at my heart remembering our friends.

Seems like yesterday we set out from the cabin together... Now, here we are... nearly half of our group gone...

Marie... She was a kind woman... She was always speaking her mind. She might not have looked it, but she was tough.

Pete... God, he was a great guy... From the conversations he and Luke had, he was a great poker player... He was always trying to help Nick, even though Nick lashed out at him a lot. I miss hearing his 'bullshit detector' talk.

Alvin... I miss him... He was one of the nicest people I ever knew. Always there for his wife...

Carlos... that man was a great guy... We may not have gotten along at first, but eventually got over it after Tess and I's first week at the cabin... He was a good father that was always there for Sarah... Why'd he have to die such a horrible death?

Rebecca... when Tess and I first showed up, she was always suspicious and lashing out at the two of us. She eventually chilled out later on and we became friends. God, it seems like so long ago...

Now... It's just me, Luke, Nick, Tess, and Sarah...

"You can't blame yourself, Luke. It wasn't your fault." Clem told Luke, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"No... not completely..." Luke sighed. "I could've done more. And that ain't up for debate. I know it in my bones... And I gotta live with it. Now, we got another baby on the way... I wasn't able to get Sarah out of the trailer on my own, so how am I able to help protect the babies?"

I let a sigh escape my lips. Just then, Bonnie came back with some clean rags. "Alright, this should work..." she announced as she walked over to us. Luke looked at the rag and faked a smile, hiding the sad look he previously had. "That's perfect." he said.

The smile then fell and Luke, Clementine, and I exchanged a look. Bonnie rose an eyebrow. "What'd I miss?" she questioned as she knelt down by Luke's side.

"Hm? Uh... Nothin' much. You know, complainin' mostly. Tryin' to guess how far this place is. I'd like to get off this leg sooner than later." Luke spoke nonchalantly as Bonnie dressed his wound.

"I was just mentioning how cold it is lately." Clementine lied. I nodded, going along with this. "Yeah... It's gotten pretty damn cold..."

"Yeah. Good thing you and Clem got those cool jackets, huh?" Bonnie chuckled. I saw Clementine look down her her sky blue jacket, which had stains from the walker blood on it. "I'm sure most of that will come out with a little soap and water."

Clementine looked up at Luke. "I'm fine." he insisted. "You sure, Luke?" I asked him. He nodded in response.

As Bonnie dressed Luke's wound, she looked at Clem. "Hey, Clem... go over and see if you can change the bandages on Kenny's wound." Bonnie requested. "I offered, but I don't think he was comfortable with me doin' it. But you know him better than I do. Maybe he'll let you do it..."

I nodded. "His eye might be infected. He might let you do it since you've known him longer than the rest of us."

Clementine nodded. "Okay."

Bonnie then handed her a bottle of peroxide. "Here. That's gonna sting, but only for a second. It's gonna clean it out." she explained. Clem looked down at the bottle. "Oh, I know what it does... It's gonna suck..."

"Its gotta get done." Luke says.

Clementine then got up and walked over to Kenny. I let out a sigh and got up, hearing the snow crunch beneath my feet.

"I'm gonna go check on the others..." I announce. Bonnie nodded. "Go on. I got this."

I turned on my heel and walked over to Tess and Emily, hearing them have a conversation.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

"So... I'm gonna be an aunt?" my sister asked me incredulously.

I let a smile grace my lips and nod. "Yeah..." I confirm with a nod. Emily smiled a little at this, but she let the smile fall. "But... Why didn't you tell us? Or me?"

I sighed. "Emily... We were in a tough position... Rebecca was close to having the baby, we were trapped at Carver's, and after what happened to Pete, Alvin, Carlos, and Rebecca... I didn't wanna stress them out anymore. I didn't want you guys to worry about me... Anne... Heh, she found out because I was careless."

Emily glanced down at my stomach, which stuck out a little more now. "... What're you planning on naming it?" she asked.

"Well, I've been thinking about Peter if it's a boy, or Lisa if it's a girl." I admit.

Emily smiled. "I like those names..."

I smiled and nodded. I then felt a thump in my abdomen.

Oof... Baby's kicking...

"He's kicking... You wanna feel, Em?" I ask. Emily nodded eagerly, causing me to chuckle as I grabbed her hand and placed it on my stomach. I felt another thump in my abdomen. Emily's eyes widened slightly, feeling the kick before she smiled.

A smile crept up on my face, but it quickly fell. "Em... I..." I pause and sighed. "I don't know who the father is..."

Emily blinked with surprise. "What...?"

A sigh escaped my lips. "Luke and I got drunk nearly seven months ago... and we slept together..."

"What?!" Emily gasped. "It was an accident. We were drunk. Em, I... I think the father is Luke..." I whisper to her.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"No... I had sex with Nick the day before... I-I guess we'll just have to wait and see who the baby looks like to determine who the father is..." I sigh.

"Does... Does Nick know?" Emily inquires.

I nod, remembering telling him back at the trailer park. God, the look on his face... he was just... So shocked...

"He says that the baby is his no matter what..." I say.

Emily opened her mouth to say something, but cut herself off as she looked over my shoulder. "Hey, Anne."

My eyes widened and I turned around, seeing Anne walk over to us, the snow crunching beneath her feet. "Hey..." she greeted. "How you guys doing?"

"Just fine, thanks." I said with a nod.

Anne rose an eyebrow. "You sure? You know, after what happened a little bit ago...?" she inquired. "We're okay, Anne. We didn't get hit by bullets or anything." I assure her.

"That's good..." Anne said as she crossed her arms. "How's the baby?"

I place a hand on my abdomen. "The baby's fine... It's been kicking lately..."

Emily sighed. "I'm gonna go check on the others. You'll be okay?" she asked me. I nodded. "Yeah... Go on, Em. I'll be alright." I told her.

My sister nodded and walked away. Now, it was just me and Anne.

Anne sighed. "You sure you're fine?"

I nodded, blinking with confusion. "Yeah, I am. Why?" I questioned. "What if you go into labor early?" Anne asked me.

I stiffened. I did not want to think about that right now...

"I hope I don't..." I say in barely a whisper. "We don't have any shelter right now... That's the worse thing that could happen..."

Anne nodded. "Well, if you do, we'll be there to help. Just like with Rebecca."

I looked down sadly at our friend's name. I then looked over at Kenny, who held Rebecca's son in his arms. "Poor baby... He'll never know what his parents were like..."

Anne looked back at the baby. "The best thing we can do right now is to make sure nothing happens to the baby..."

I nodded. It's what Rebecca and Alvin would have wanted...

Anne let out a sigh. "Well... I'm go see how the others are holding up..."

I nod. "You do that, then. I'm gonna go check on Sarah and Nick." I say. Sarah seemed a little shaken up from the gunfight... Thank god she didn't get hurt...

My friend nodded, turning on her heel as she walked away from me.

* * *

** Anne's POV**

Tess is pretty worried about her baby...

I just hope that her water doesn't break early...

Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I walked over to Shel and Becca. Shel was talking to Becca about... something...

"... Shel, I'm fine. Would you please quit worrying?" I heard Becca groan.

Typical...

"Hey guys." I greeted as I reached the two. Shel looked away from Becca and turned to me. "Hey, Anne..."

"How you two holding up?" I ask.

"We're okay..." Shel answered. Her gaze drifted over to Kenny. "He doesn't need to treat Arvo like that..."

"Well, he DID lie to his group about us stealing from them, so-" Becca began, but Shel cut her off. "Becca!" she scolded with a frown.

"Sorry."

"He says that there's a place we could stay at..." I say as I look back at the tied up Arvo. "But what if he's lying?" Becca questioned. I look back at her, a slight frown on my face. "We'll deal with that later. Right now, we need to focus on getting to this house he's talking about." I told her. Becca frowned and crossed her arms. "Well, if he IS lying just to save his skin, he's gonna wish he didn't."

I let out a sigh. That definitely sounds like something she'd say...

I'm pulled out of my thoughts by a familiar voice. "Hey, Anne?"

I turn around seeing Dylan walking over to me. "Oh, hi..." I greeted.

"Can I talk to you?" Dylan asked me. With a blink, I nod. "Sure..." I say as we walk away from Shel and Becca. I hear Becca snickering slightly. "Hehehe... 'Talk'... Yeah, right..."

That little...

Grumbling slightly at Becca's comment, Dylan and I walk over to a spot near a tree a few feet away from the group. "Whaddya wanna talk about?" I ask.

"To be honest, I wanted to make sure you're okay..."

My visible eye widened and I blushed, but I quickly hid it. "R-Really?"

Dylan nodded. "Y-Yeah... I mean, we did just get out of a huge gunfight, plus it's getting colder and colder each passing day..."

"I'm okay, Dylan..." I assure him, hiding my blush.

"You sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah..."

"You didn't get hit by any bullets, did you?" Dylan asked with concern. I shook my head. "Nope..."

Dylan scratched the back of his head. "Uh... How's Rebecca's baby?"

I look over my shoulder, seeing Kenny holding onto him as he was talking to Clementine. "I think he's okay..." I tell him before I let out a sigh. "Thank god he didn't get hurt in that gunfight..."

That shootout was intense... He was lucky he didn't get hit by any stray bullets.

Dylan nodded. "We gotta focus on keeping him safe. Plus, we're gonna need to find baby formula for him..."

That's right... We only have enough baby formula for him to last for a few days...

"We also need to get the baby out of this cold." I add.

"Let's just hope this guy is telling the truth about this house..." Dylan muttered. I nod in agreement, the same thought running through my head. "Um... Anne?" Dylan asked.

I blinked. "Yeah?"

"A-About what happened back at the observation deck..."

My eye widened and I blushed deeply. That's right... We almost...

Our lips were so close to touching...

"Uh..." I stuttered.

"I-I'm sorry..." Dylan muttered as he looked away.

"What for? You don't need to apologize." I say almost immediately. Dylan stayed silent, a light blush visible on his cheeks.

I look away, blushing slightly. "Uh... I-I'm gonna go check on Kenny,"

He nods shakily. "Y-Yeah... maybe that eye of his needs checked..."

I nod and walked away from Dylan, blushing slightly. Dammit... Why can't I stop blushing?!

Shaking my head, I walked over to Kenny and Clementine. Clem looked at me as I approached them. "Hey, Anne..." she greeted.

"Hey..." I replied.

Clem rose an eyebrow as she looked at me. "Why is your face red?"

I stiffened up. Aw shit!

"Uh... I-It's just cold right now!" I lie.

Clementine smirked at me. "You're blushing, aren't you? Is it because of Dylan?"

I rolled my eye and looked away, grumbling under my breath. "How's the baby doing?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Alvin..."

Huh?

I blinked with confusion as I looked back at Kenny. "What...?"

Kenny smiled lightly, an action which surprised me slightly due to how he was earlier today. "Clem and I decided on naming him Alvin Jr, after his dad. I think little AJ here approves."

A soft gasp escaped my lips before a small smile appeared on my face.

I bet Alvin and Rebecca would've wanted that...

Smiling lightly, I bend down and look at the baby, now known as Alvin Jr. "Hi there, AJ. Like your name?" I asked.

AJ simply looked up at me curiously, making me smile even more.

He's so freakin' adorable!

Kenny's voice caught my attention. "Whatcha got there?" he asked Clementine.

"Can I change your bandages?" Clementine asked. Kenny was silent for a moment before he sighed. "You shouldn't have to do stuff like this..."

"Shouldn't have to do a lot of things." Clem replied.

"You sure you can do this, Clem?" I ask. "I can do it if you want."

Clementine shook her head. "I got it. Have you ever cleaned out an eye wound before?"

Hm, she's got a point...

"Alright... Let's get it over with..." Kenny sighed as he reached up and took off his hat. "Hopefully it don't scare this little guy... Or you." he finished as he looked up at us. I watched as Clementine slowly took the bloody bandage off, revealing the eye wound. The sight made me cringe a little.

The skin around the eye, or what could be left of it, was heavily bruised. The skin was a deep red, slightly bloody. Where his eye should be was swollen shut. Damn, that HAS to be painful.

"So how's it look? Am I still gonna be pretty when this heals?" Kenny questions as he looks up at us.

"Well... It looks better than it did..." Clementine said after a moment. "Well, I guess my modelin' days ain't over, yet..." Kenny joked.

Clementine doused the cloth with peroxide. Kenny looked at her. "I'm guessing this is gonna be the shitty part..."

"So, this is gonna hurt like hell..." Clementine told him bluntly.

Way to be so blunt, Clem...

"You coulda lied a little, ya know..." Kenny muttered.

I watched as Clementine gently dabbed Kenny's damaged eye with the cloth. Almost as soon as the peroxide soaked cloth touched his skin, a hissing sound was heard. Kenny recoiled in pain, groaning. "Holy fuckin' hell..." he winced.

I cringed myself. Now THAT has to sting!

"You need to stop squirming." Clementine deadpanned. Kenny grit his teeth and nodded. "Y-Yeah, okay..."

Clem carefully dabbed his eye wound, making him hiss slightly for a second. He looked down at Alvin Jr in his arms. "Sorry about the language, Junior. You're gonna be tougher than me when you're grown... Now, I'm gonna expect you to be more of a gentleman than I am." he said to the baby in his arms, who simply stared up at him with brown eyes.

"He'll be tough... Just like his dad was." I say, smiling slightly.

Kenny nodded. "Yeah. Alvin didn't look it, but that guy definitely had a pair on him..." he said before he looked at Clementine, trying not to move too much. "You were right about me giving myself up... I can't believe I was willing to sacrifice Alvin just to hold out a little longer... We shoulda saved him sooner, got him outta the camp..."

I look at the snowy ground sadly, remembering Alvin's last moments.

"I'm gonna think about that every time I look at Alvin Jr, here." Kenny finished. AJ simply stared up at us. "Alvin should be here... Alvin should be doing this... Raisin' this boy. It should be him, not me..."

Clementine lowered her voice a little as she cleaned Kenny's eye wound. "The best thing you can do for Alvin... and Rebecca... is raise him right. Make sure he's safe."

Kenny was silent for a moment before he replied with determination in his voice, "I intend to."

Clementine then lowered the rag and pulled out a set of fresh bandages. She wrapped them around Kenny's wound. "All done."

"Thank you, sweetie."

"Yep..."

I handed Kenny his brown hat. "Thanks, Anne..." he muttered as he took it.

"No problem..." I replied as he placed the hat back on top of his head. I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to see Bonnie. "Are we ready to go?" Bonnie asked. Kenny simply nodded.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mike and Emily help Luke up as he limped. "Let's go, then..." Tess announced as we all resumed walking.

Dylan stuck close to me as we walked. "You think Arvo's telling the truth?" he asked me in a hushed voice.

I look ahead at the Russian teen, who limped as Kenny pointed his gun at his back to keep him moving.

Is Arvo is actually helping us... Or he's trying to save his own skin?

"I don't know... We'll only have to wait and see, I guess..."

* * *

**Okay, first of all, sorry for the long wait, everyone! I've been dealing with high school, overdue homework, stress, and writer's block... Hopefully this update makes up for it...**

**And OVER 200 REVIEWS?! **

**OVER 12,000 VIEWS?! THATS AWESOME!**

**Thank you all so much for the support!**

**And also, I'd like to thank Tess Carver for helping me out a little with a part of this chapter!**


	30. Take Us Back

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

**Also, I'd like to thank Tess Carver for helping me out with a part of this chapter!**

**And I heart Lyoko, think of this as a late birthday present.**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

As Arvo led us on, the sun started to set, giving the sky a nice mixture of orange and light purple.

I could hear the snow crunch beneath our feet as we walked, as well as the occasional squeaking of Arvo's leg brace.

Eventually, we all ended up on a small hill. Ahead of us, I could see a power station with a fence around it. Kenny frowned and looked at Arvo with his gun in his hand and AJ cradled in the other. "Is that it?"

Arvo was silent for a moment as he looked down with a depressive expression. Kenny frowned. "Hey, I'm talkin' to you!" he snapped.

The Russian teen looked back at him. "W-What? It? It what?" he asked with confusion.

"What do you mean 'what'? The place you're fuckin' taking us!" Kenny retorted.

Jane frowned and placed a hand on her hip. "He doesn't speak much English..."

"Yeah, no shit! Is that it? I thought you said it was a house!" Kenny spat out as he pointed his gun at Arvo.

"Arvo, is this where the supplies are? Where the food is?" Clementine asked Arvo in a kinder tone. Kenny frowned and pointed the gun at Arvo. "Answer her, goddammit!" he ordered.

Arvo shook his head. "No, it's... at the house. Is still more walk. Some more hours." Arvo explained.

Kenny frowned. "Goddammit." he swore. "I knew this was gonna happen! This guy fucked us!"

As Kenny said this, Mike and Emily helped Luke sit down on a log. "Thank you..." Luke told them gratefully.

"Don't mention it." Mike replied.

Emily crossed her arms. "I have to agree... I'm starting to think Arvo's lying, guys..."

Bonnie stepped forward. "It's gettin' dark, guys... maybe we should stop for the night." she suggested. "This is bullshit!" Kenny exclaimed.

"Relax." Jane said calmly.

"Don't tell me to relax. He's lying, he's been lying this whole time!" Kenny said with a frown.

Emily crossed her arms. "I have to agree... I'm starting to think Arvo's lying, guys..."

"You don't fucking know that!" Mike defended.

"I know that we've been walking all day and that we're still fuckin' nowhere!" Kenny retorted.

"We could rest here, guys... Tess needs to rest..." Nick piped up as he wrapped an arm around Tess, who held her back. "Yeah... it's not so easy walking when you've got a six pound weight on your stomach..." she commented.

"Can we please stop here?" Sarah requested as she rubbed her arm. "My feet really hurt from walking..."

I spoke up next. "Come on, guys. We could stop here. It's fenced off, so walkers can't get in." I pointed out. "Plus, my feet are killing me from all this walking. We could all use some rest after what happened earlier today..."

"Oh yeah? I'll sleep real fuckin' easy tonight knowing this asshole's playing us!" Kenny snapped.

"Stop fighting!" Clementine exclaimed, silencing us. "Can we just try and have a calm, quiet night? Where everyone isn't at each other's throats? Please..." she requested.

We all remained silent after she said this.

She's right... nearly the whole day has been nothing but us arguing over everything...

"That sounds nice..." Bonnie commented.

"Yeah... Yeah, it does..." Luke agreed. Chase crossed his arms. "I could use a night where none of us are arguing over everything." he remarked. Shel sighed. "Yeah... after everything that's happened the last couple of days, we could all use a breather..." she agreed. Just then, AJ started to whine.

Kenny's undamaged eye widened. "Oh, shit... sorry about that... it's alright, buddy. It's alright..." he said softly as he pocketed his gun. "If we're staying, we should scout this place out." Jane suggested.

"Alright, y'all wait here. I'll go make sure this place ain't some sort of walker nest we're lockin' ourselves into." Kenny announced.

"I'll go with you." Jane offered.

Kenny was silent for a moment before he handed AJ to Clementine. "Here... see if... see if you can calm him down a bit." he told her before walking off to the power station with Jane. Clementine looked over to us as Alvin Jr started to cry. Mike smirked and crossed his arms. "No. That's all you." he said shaking his head.

"Sorry, Clem... you're the one holdin' him..." I smirked.

Clementine looked away from AJ for a moment before she looked back at him, sticking her tongue out. AJ let out a wail before he calmed down and looked up at Clem as she made the funny face.

I smile. Aww...

Mike smirked. "Wouldn't have guessed that'd work..." he commented. Clementine smiled. "Me neither..."

Bonnie smiled and walked over to her. "I think he likes you... Calms right down for ya."

Clem smiled. "He's cute. I like him."

The redheaded woman chuckled. "Yeah, he is, isn't he? Most babies are pretty ugly this soon after being born."

"That's true. They usually look like weird little aliens." Mike joked. Luke smirked and shook his head.

"Yeah. I'm surprised he didn't turn out like that." Becca joked. Shel smiled and rolled her eyes at Becca's joke.

I smirked and walked over to Clem and Bonnie. "He's a real cutie, ain't he?" I chuckle as I bend over slightly to look at AJ. "Hey, buddy..." I say as I make a funny face.

AJ giggled as I did this. Tess smiled over at me. "I have a feeling little Peter's gonna like you guys..." she commented as she rubbed her stomach.

I smiled again as AJ looked up at us with his brown eyes.

He's so freaking adorable!

"Here, I got him..." Bonnie told Clementine as the younger girl gently placed Alvin Jr into her arms.

I heard the sound of snow crunching nearby. We all looked down the hill and saw Kenny and Jane looking up at us.

"Come on over, guys. It's safe." Kenny called.

Luke grunted as Mike and Emily helped him back up. "How's your leg?" I asked.

"Well... it's been better..." Luke replied as we walked, or in Luke and Arvo's cases, limped down the hill towards the power station.

* * *

Night had soon fallen as we got settled in. All of us had settled down underneath a set of power boxes that formed some sort of roof over our heads.

Nick and Mike had started up a campfire for us a while ago, so at least we had warmth.

Arvo had been tied up to a tower nearby away from the fire, away from us. Jane stood by the fence looking out at the forest with her arms crossed.

My guitar laid across my lap. Dylan sat next to me. We both exchanged a smile, but said nothing.

Ah, after a long, cold day like today, nothing beats this...

Tess leaned up against the wall, smiling lightly as Nick wrapped an arm around her, holding her close to him. Kenny sat near them as he held AJ in his arms, smiling down at him.

Finally, Luke decided to break the silence. "Today's my birthday..." he suddenly announced, gaining our attention.

I rose an eyebrow. It's Luke's birthday today? Why didn't he tell us earlier?

Guess he must've been too busy to tell...

Clementine smiled. "Happy birthday, Luke."

"Yeah, man. Happy birthday." Mike wished with a smile.

"Happy birthday, Luke!" Sarah chirped.

I smiled and nod. "Yeah..."

Nick nodded. "Happy birthday, man." he wished his friend.

"Thanks, guys..." Luke thanked.

"So, that makes you, what? Twenty seven?" Bonnie asked with a smile, earning a nod from Luke. "That's... that's right. I'm surprised you remembered. Sure as hell feel a lot older..."

"Don't even start with that shit." Kenny smirked.

I let out a snicker.

"Got outta college five years ago... feels like a million years." Luke remarked with a slightly sad face. "At least I don't have to worry about payin' off them student loans."

Mike chuckled. "I hear that. I bet there's some asshole sittin' on that paperwork... waitin' to collect."

Clementine smiled a little. "What did you study?" she asked.

Luke smiled at the little girl. "I majored in Art History."

Kenny playfully scoffed. "Sounds like you majored in working in a Coffee shop."

Tess snickered as she absentmindedly rubbed her stomach. I eyed her carefully, hoping she was just playing it off as being hungry. "I was barely out of College when shit went down. What'd you minor in?" she asked Luke.

"Agriculture. Kept the old man happy." Luke explained.

Bonnie then perked up. "Oh! I almost forgot!" she said as she reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle. "Was savin' it for a special occasion and... well, it bein' your birthday and all... figure... this is as good a time as any."

"Holy hell...You took it from Dad's liquor cabinet!" Tess accused, her eyes wide. "Damn it!"

"Dad had a liquor cabinet?" Emily inquired.

"Well, Bill kept it all in the armory. He didn't like people... imbibing." Bonnie explained.

"What's that mean?" Clementine asked.

"Drinking. He... he didn't think people should drink." Luke explained.

Tess sighed. "Please don't tell me you're gonna drink it..."

Bonnie rose an eyebrow. "Why? You want some?"

Tess shook her head. "I'm pregnant, remember? I can't drink!"

Bonnie snickers. "Yeah, yeah. Didn't know you couldn't drink while you were pregs."

Tess groans, covering her face. "I wish. Ugh, I need some air." She said, using Nick's shoulder for support as she stood up. He began to stand up as well.

"I'll come with you." He offered, but Tess stopped him.

"No, babe. You stay and have your drink. I'm...I just need some air, okay?"

"You sure, babe?" Nick asked.

Tess looked out to the fence, gently touching her stomach. "Yeah...I won't be long."

"Okay..." he muttered. He then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before she left.

Luke then held the bottle of rum in his hands. "Feel a little guilty takin' the first..."

Bonnie cut him off. "Whoa, wait! You gotta make a toast." she insisted.

"I'm not really the, uh..." Luke began.

Bonnie smirked. "Come on, birthday boy, it don't have to be fancy."

"A toast means we all got somethin' to drink." Mike piped up. "We can just pass the bottle around afterwards." Bonnie suggested before looking at Luke. "Go on."

Luke looked thoughtful as he held up the Rum bottle, clearing his throat. "To the loved ones we've lost along the way... and to the hope that we see them again... someday..." he said.

Mike nodded. "Here, here."

I nodded myself. "Yeah..."

"I didn't mean for it to rhyme..." Luke sheepishly shrugged.

"Well, I got first watch..." Kenny said as he got up to his feet with AJ in his arms.

"Kenny, I think the fence around here has got us pretty secure." Chase told him.

"We can't be too careful." Kenny said.

"The baby might be cold." Bonnie pointed out. Kenny shook his head. "Nah, I'll keep him warm. He's a tough little guy."

"Come on, Kenny. Just sit a while longer." Clem told him.

"Yeah, come on. Have a drink." I agree.

Kenny stared at me for a moment before he continued walking away. Bonnie noticed Jane standing out at one side of the fence and Tess standing at another. "Fire's real nice. Plenty of room if you wanna get warm." Bonnie called to Jane.

"Maybe in a bit..." Jane called back.

Bonnie looked back at the rest of us. "I didn't expect her to come back. Just when I thought I got her figured out, she up and surprises."

"It's a good thing. She saved our ass back there." Mike commented.

"I know, I know. I just... Don't know what she's gettin' outta all this." Bonnie said in a hushed tone.

"We're lucky to have her. I'm glad she's here." Clementine told us. "Well, she helped us back there. So that puts her as okay in my book." Luke shrugged.

"Well, it ain't no secret how you feel about her." Bonnie commented. Luke shyly looked away at this before Bonnie chuckled, "Oh, I'm just teasin'."

"It was stupid..." Luke muttered.

The redhead nodded. "I understand. She's a pretty girl... Once you get past all the dirt and guts..."

Luke shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

Nick pushed at his shoulder, snickering. "Man, you've got it down. Jane's pretty hot. But I bet you a million bucks she isn't half as good as Tess-"

I covered my mouth to hold in a giggle as Luke hit his friend's shoulder, flushing. Emily giggled as well.

"Ow, Luke! What was that for!?"

"Shut up, man!" Luke hissed. "I... I guess I just wanted to forget all of this shit for like, ten minutes..."

"Ten minutes?" Mike chuckled. "Man, that's longer than I'd ever last at this point."

"Hey!" Bonnie chuckled.

Luke smirked. "Alright, it wasn't ten minutes..."

I snickered. Nick nudged his friend again, smirking. "We got kids here." he reminded, motioning toward Clementine, Sarah, Becca, myself, Dylan and Chase.

Chase scoffed. "I ain't a kid."

"Neither am I." I agree.

Tess came back, wincing as she massaged her back with one hand. "How's it going, guys?" she muttered painfully, rubbing her belly. "This baby's kicking up a storm...It kinda hurts."

"How's the baby?" Sarah inquired.

"The baby's doing fine... It's been kicking up a storm, lately. What were you guys talking about?" Tess asked us.

"How Luke and Jane were-" Chase began, but Bonnie cut him off.

"Come on, we got a little one right here!" she reminded, gesturing to Clementine.

"Sorry. Forget I said anything." Chase shrugged.

"I know what you guys are talking about..." Clementine said.

I stiffened at this. Oh boy...

"I sure as hell hope not..." Bonnie chuckled.

"You're talking about kissing stuff..." Clementine muttered, making a face of disgust.

'Kissing stuff'...?

I hold back a snicker as Luke faked a smile. "Uh... Yeah! Y-Yes, that's exactly what we're talking about."

Sarah wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Kissing stuff...?"

"Uh... I-It's nothing, Sarah..." I tell her.

Mike smirked. "Was there any kissing?" he joked.

"Yeah, was there?" Chase asked.

I covered my mouth to hide my smile. Hehehe... Haven't heard people talk like this in ages...

"Okay, everyone! Shut your mouths!" Bonnie said with a light chuckle. "Sorry..." I mutter, hiding my smirk. "What are they talking about?" Sarah inquired. "Uh, nothing. Y-You'll understand when you're older, Sarah..." Luke muttered.

"Aww..." Sarah pouted.

Bonnie sighed, taking a sip of the rum.

Tess took one glance at the fire and came back. "You guys have any food?" She requested. "The baby's hungry."

I reached into the bag and handed her a packet of crackers. "Here ya go..." I told her.

"Thanks, Anne..." Tess told me thankfully as she took the crackers. I nodded in reply and sipped on some water from a bottle.

"Hey, Anne? Are you going to do any kissing stuff with Dylan?" Sarah asked innocently.

I stiffened and immediately blushed, as well as Dylan. THE HELL?!

Tess covered her mouth to stifle her giggles. Chase's eyes widened and he covered his mouth to try and hold him his laughter.

"Well, no! Not really." I answered as Tess carefully sat in between Luke and Nick. Dylan slouched over.

Tess giggled as she turned to Luke, smiling. "I haven't seen you smile since..." she trailed off, thinking. "Well...It's been a long time. You should smile more, you know?"

"Well, I've been so focused on surviving that I haven't had time for smiling."

I smirked. "Well, we're taking a break from surviving..."

Luke chuckled. "You're right..."

All of us were silent for a moment. Then Bonnie spoke, "Maybe she came back for you..."

"Could be." Mike shrugged.

"Yeah, I think that might be why." Dylan said.

"I don't know what to say to that..." Luke muttered sheepishly.

Clementine smiled. "I'd come back for you."

All of us shot Clementine a smirk. "You know what I mean." she scoffed. Mike snickered. "Luke's charming up all the ladies. He's a regular Casanova!"

"Hey, shut up." Luke quickly retorted.

"Worked on me..." Bonnie muttered, taking a sip of rum.

Tess smirked at Bonnie. "Three. Times." she confessed.

Bonnie's eyes widened. "Shit. I just did it too, didn't I?"

All of us chuckled at this. "Sorry, it's the drink talkin'." Bonnie chuckled.

"They say a drunk man's talk is a sober man's thoughts." Mike quoted.

Bonnie smirked. "Well, I ain't a man, so 'they' can take that shit somewhere else."

I let out a small laugh. "And I ain't drunk." Tess giggled. "I speak the truth."

Nick smirked. "What about me?"

"Oh, your charms DEFINITELY worked on me." Tess smirked as she leaned in to kiss Nick.

Emily chuckled and covered Sarah's eyes, making Sarah protest a little. "Aw, I can't see!" the girl whined.

Nick and Tess kissed for a few moments before they pulled away, smiling at one another.

"Someone bring mistletoe?" Chase joked. Tess smirked, rolled her eyes, and playfully shoved Chase away.

Tess then looked at me and smiled. "Hey, Anne... Do you think you could play a song?"

I nodded. Yeah, a little music could help us all relax...

Especially after a day like today.

"Yeah, Anne. Give Luke a birthday gift." Dylan encouraged.

I smirked. "Of course."

Everyone at the campfire got comfy as I got my guitar ready and started strumming it. After a couple seconds, I began to sing.

_"The tops of crags and cliffs, the air is thin  
_

_So we'll find a mountain path on down the hill  
_

_Meet me where the snow mount flows  
_

_It is there, my dear, where we'll begin again  
_

_Skipping stones, braiding hair_

_Last year's antlers mark the trail..."_

Luke smiled warmly, sitting against the wall. Tess leaned against Nick.

I then closed my eyes as I sang the chorus.

_"Take us back, oh, take us back, oh, take us_

_Take us back_

_Take us back, oh, take us back, oh, take us  
_

_Take us back...  
_

_Ooh... Ooh..."_

Emily tapped her foot to the beat.

This song... It makes me remember the days before the world went to shit... When we could all just relax without worrying about corpses eating us...

Sometimes, I just wish that the world could go back to the way it was...

_"I've a friend who lives out by the river's mouth  
_

_He knows the fiddle's cry is an old sound  
_

_A lonesome of creeks and moans of empty houses  
_

_Are songs like fallen rain..."_

"This reminds me of the old days." I heard Tess whisper to Luke as I continued to sing. Luke glanced at Tess, smiling. "I couldn't agree more, Tessie."

_"Wind blown buildings, muddy ground  
_

_The strength of water can sink a man  
_

_Take us back, oh, take us back, oh, take us  
_

_Take us back  
_

_Take us back, oh, take us back, oh, take us  
_

_Take us back...  
_

_Ooh... Ooh..."_

I opened my eye, seeing Jane looking our way as I sang. She seemed to have a conflicted look as she looked over at us.

_"When the higher hills have turned blue  
_

_And the waves are lapping where the children grew  
_

_All that we have known will be an echo  
_

_Of days when love was true_

_Muted voices just beyond  
_

_The silent surface of what has gone...  
_

_Ooh... Ooh..._

_Ooh... Ooh..."_ I finished singing and stopped strumming my guitar.

Tess smiled as she clapped. "Great job!"

Luke grinned. "Thanks, Anne. That was real nice."

I smiled. "You're welcome, Luke. Happy birthday."

Sarah smiled and clapped. "That was a nice song!" she commented. Nick nuzzled Tess's shoulder, feeling her belly. "She's kicking." Tess announced. Nick rolled his eyes.

Tess looked to Luke, smiling. "You wanna feel?" she offered.

Luke shyly placed a hand on her stomach. A moment later, his eyes widened. The baby must have kicked...

He pulled back and smiled lightly.

Bonnie then handed the bottle to Clementine. "Clem, can you go see if you can get Jane and Kenny to come back to the fire? It's too cold for them to be out there like that. Maybe a swig of this will change their minds."

Clem nodded. "Sure..." she agreed as she walked away from the fire to talk to Jane.

Tess watched the girl walk off, then she sighed. "That's one little girl."

"You think she can convince them to come back to the fire?" I inquired as I looked at my older friend. Tess smiled encouragingly. "She's capable of almost everything. I think it's possible...You know, Anne, it's been a long time since we've all laughed."

I nodded. She's right. I can't remember the last time we all just laughed together.

"You're right, Tess..." I tell her.

Tess let out a breath as she ran her hands over her bulging belly. "Edema sucks."

I leaned back on the box behind me. "I bet it does..." I tell her.

Tears flooded Tess's eyes and she sighed. "God...Where did 6 months ago go...I wish this hadn't happened." She complained, her eyes averting to her belly. She looked up at me. "I...I know this'll sound horrible, but I don't think I want this baby."

I gasped.

WHAT?!

"Tess, how could you say something like that?!" I asked.

Tess sniffles, reaching up to wipe her eye. "I-I don't know. I can't be happy with a baby of my own...I'm not ready for one! I can't...I can't."

"We got your back, honey." Nick told her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Tess covers her eyes, burying her face into his chest. "I-I'm sorry." she sobbed, "I'm sorry. I just...I don't know what I'm doing. I'm so sorry, Luke."

Luke looked over at Tess with surprise. "Sorry? For what?" he asked.

Tess glanced at him with teary eyes. "For" she hesitated, then she answered, "...ruining the happy mood..."

"Aw, it's okay, Tessie..." Luke told her.

"You didn't ruin anything, babe." Nick assured her.

I nodded in agreement.

"Awww..." Tess cooed, "Can I hug you, Luke?" She tearfully requested. Luke blinked with surprise before looking at Nick, who nodded.

"Don't get any ideas, man..." Nick said playfully.

"Hey..." Luke frowned.

Tess then hugged Luke. Luke patted her back. "Thanks, Tessie..."

Tess sniffled. "Anne, Bonnie, Mike, come ooooon..."

Oh god...Those pregnancy hormones are seriously changing the Tess I know!

Luke rolled his eyes. "Tessie, it's okay. Shhhh."

Tess looked back at me, sniffled, and held an arm out to me.

I smile a little. "Ah, what the hell." I said before I hugged Tess.

Tess grabbed me into a bone-crushing hug as Jane came back.

I cringed a little, feeling some of the air leave my lungs. "Tess... Can't breathe...!" I managed to choke out. God, who knew Tess could hug so hard?!

Tess lets me go, flushing. "Sorry."

Jane sits by the wall in a ball, and Tess glares at her as she stands up, letting Luke go. I coughed as I regained my breath. "H-hi, Jane..." I choked out. The short haired woman nodded in greeting as she pulled her knees up to her chest. Jane casts a smile up to Tess, but Tess only responds with a glare as she walks away. Apparently she was still mad over Jane 'doing stuff' with Luke, or Jane leaving us. Maybe both. Might not be.

"Where are you going, Tess?" Nick asked. Tess shrugged. "Playin' in the snow, I guess. You can come if you want."

"Honey, this is the third time you've-"

"Nick." Tess interrupted. "Please."

"Come on, Tess. Stay by the fire. Please..." I tell her. Emily nodded with concern. "You should stay by the fire. It's warmer here." she told her. Tess glanced at Jane, seemingly hesitant. Jane looked away with slight shame.

"Come on, baby. It's cold out there." Nick insisted.

Tess sighed heavily, grabbing Nick's hand. "Okay." she gave in, holding her stomach. Nick helped her sit back down.

Jane looked at all of us awkwardly before looking back at the fire. I cleared my throat. "So, Jane..." I began, gaining her attention.

"Yeah, Anne?" Jane asked, her head perking up as she looked at me.

"Uh...I hope you don't mind staying. Tess's baby is due soon...I hope you won't leave us then." I said, scratching the back of my head.

"After everything that's happened, I won't be leaving again. Trust me." Jane told me.

Tess stayed silent, her hands absentmindedly patting her belly. "Uh... Anne?" Dylan suddenly asked. "C-Can I talk to you...?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Sure." I nodded.

What could he want to talk to me about?

* * *

Dylan and I got up and walked away from the fireplace. He lead me over to a spot at the power station where no one could see us, not even Arvo.

I leaned against a power box and looked at Dylan. "So... Whaddya wanna talk to me about?" I inquired.

Dylan scratched the back of his head. "I, um... Anne, there's something I-I gotta tell you..." he said, stumbling on his words.

I rose an eyebrow. "What is it?" I questioned.

"I, uh... W-What I mean is..."

I crossed my arms. "Come on, Dylan. Spit it out."

"I... I kinda like you a LOT..." he said.

"Like me? Like me how?"

Dylan sighed and gently took my hands in his. "I... I think I love you."

I froze. What...? Did I hear him right?

"W-W-What did you say?" I asked.

Dylan clutched my hands a little tighter and looked into my visible eye. "I love you..." he repeated slowly.

I felt my knees buckle, but I managed to keep my balance. "Y-You love me...?" I asked with shock.

Dylan nodded. "Anne... Whenever I'm with you, I get the feeling I had when I was with Rebecca Townley..."

"W-Why tell me now?"

Dylan gently took my chin and lifted it up so he could look into my visible eye.

"I couldn't think of a better time. Anne. I love you. That's all there is to it."

I felt my heart skip a beat as a light blush appeared on my face.

No one has EVER told me they loved me...

Dylan then slowly leaned in. I found myself leaning in also. His lips then pressed mine, giving my chilled lips warmth. As I felt the warmth of his lips, a tear started to form in my eye.

I closed my eye, blinking away the tear as we kissed. Dylan gently placed a hand on my cheek as I placed a hand on his shoulder.

This... This is nice...

I don't wanna leave this...

I placed my other hand on his other shoulder and closed my eye. He caressed my face as he placed his other hand on my waist.

I... I can't believe it...

Dylan is kissing me...

And this time, no one's here to interrupt us.

I kept my hands on his shoulders as we kissed, savoring the warmth of his lips on mine. I didn't want to leave this moment. He suddenly broke the kiss with a look of concern on his face. "Are you crying? Did I do something wrong?" he inquired, seeing the few tears streaming down my cold cheeks.

I shook my head. "N-No, you didn't. It's just that... Rarely ANYBODY told me that... Even my parents..."

He wiped the tear and grabbed my shoulders. "Well, I do. I did tell you and I'll say it again: I love you."

I felt more tears well up in my eye, as well as my covered one. Gently, Dylan reached up and slowly took my bandana off, wiping the tears away with his thumb.

"You're beautiful... Don't let anybody else tell you otherwise. You are beautiful, Anne... Don't hide your beauty..." Dylan told me. This brought more tears to my eyes as I suddenly hugged him tightly, softly crying into his shoulder.

Dylan rubbed my back soothingly. "Shhh...Don't cry."

Tears streamed down my face as I embraced Dylan tightly.

Dylan rubbed my back, sighing.

"D-Dylan..." I choked out. "Yeah?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "I... I think I love you, too..."

Dylan smiled and leaned in to kiss me again.

I leaned in also and we met in another kiss. Our lips touched each other for a moment or two as I gently placed my hands on his shoulders, closing my eyes. After a moment, we broke the kiss and he smiled at me. "Come on, let's get back to the fire."

Nodding slightly, I wiped away my tears. I gently took my bandana and tied it back on over my eye. Dylan then gently took his hand in mine and we walked back to the fire together. When we reached the warm campfire, I could see that Kenny had come back to the fire also. The group was chuckling about something I couldn't exactly make out.

"Oh, god..." Bonnie sighed over Mike's chuckling. "Jane, you don't have to justify that with a response."

"Hey, I find that it's best to just get this stuff out in the open. Less drama." Mike said. Jane looked at us with a smirk. "Well, that's fine. But I can confirm there was no time for kissing." she chuckled. Luke smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. Tess merely smirked and shook her head at this as Dylan and I sat down together, his hand resting on top of mine.

When Clementine came back and sat down, Bonnie shushed us. "Shh, shh. Alright, enough of that." she chuckled. Clementine smiled. "It's nice to hear people laughing." the girl remarked.

"Yeah, it is..." Kenny agreed as he held Alvin Jr in his arms.

"You just spend so much time tryin' to stay alive that... you don't get a chance to enjoy livin'." Luke sighed. Bonnie nodded in agreement. "Yeah... we need to make more time for that."

Nick smirked. "Alcohol helps." he chimed as he took a swig of the rum, earning a chuckle from all of us. "Hell yeah, it does." Bonnie agreed. We soon ceased chuckling when we heard Arvo quietly sobbing in the background. Mike looked over at the Russian teen with sympathy before he got up. "Let me get that bottle. We got someone else who might need some help." he reasoned as Clem handed him the bottle.

Kenny frowned. "Says like a piece of good rum." the bearded man spat out.

"Kenny, he lost his sister today." Shel reasoned. "And who's fault was that?" Kenny shot back.

"That makes it even harder to deal with... trust me." Jane softly said. "Kenny, he needs it more than any of us right now." Clementine told him.

The man simply looked back at the fire with a frown, "I said my piece."

Mike then walked over to Arvo as Bonnie looked at us. "I don't think that boy's a bad person. I just think that good people do bad things sometimes... and they do it a lot more nowadays with the world bein' what it is. So, I think it's best we just-"

Bonnie is cut off by Arvo's sudden cry of, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

All of our heads turned towards the Russian teen as Mike backed away a step. "Sorry, okay? My fault. I shouldn't have-"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Arvo repeated.

Dylan and I exchanged a glance. I could see Kenny step forward with a frown, but Emily and Clem each shot him a look, making him back down. Arvo's face softened before he looked down and muttered something in his native language. Mike knelt down to his height. "It's okay... it's okay... she's in a better place." he reassured him, but Arvo muttered something else in Russian. "It's okay... It's okay..." Mike comforted.

We were all silent for a moment before Shel spoke up. "Maybe it's best if we all get some rest for the night."

I nodded. "Who knows how long of a walk we're gonna have tomorrow?" I agreed, suppressing a yawn. Jane nodded. "Yeah. That's a good idea."

Sarah rubbed her eyes. "I'm tired..." she yawned. "Better get some rest, then." Becca told her as she got in a comfortable spot to lie down in.

"Night, y'all." Chase yawned as he laid on his side, using his arm as a pillow.

Kenny started to walk away from the fire. "I'll take first watch." he insisted. "Thank you, Kenny... Really..." Bonnie thanked. Kenny looked back at us. "I, uh... don't mention it..." he shrugged before walking away.

The rest of us eventually got into comfortable positions. Tess laid her head on Nick's chest, already fast asleep. Emily had fallen asleep lying on the ground next to Bonnie. I sat slumped down next to Dylan, my hand resting on top of his.

"What a night, huh?" Dylan sighed.

I nodded. "Yep..."

As my visible eye started to droop, I found myself resting my head on his shoulder. It was rather comfy, really. "Better get some rest... Who knows how long we'll be walking tomorrow..." he told me.

My vision started to get blurry as I slowly drifted off. "Oh, and Annie?" he asked, using an old nickname he gave me when we were younger.

"Hm?"

He planted a kiss onto my forehead and wrapped his arms around me. "I love you." he whispered.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I found myself smiling slightly, exhaustion starting to consume me.

"Me too..." I whispered.

Finally, I was consumed by exhaustion and my green eye closed, falling asleep inside Dylan's warm embrace.

This is nice...


	31. On Thin Ice

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I felt sunlight hit my face, as well as cold air. I squinted as I slowly opened up my eyes, seeing that it was now daytime.

Well, last night was fun while it lasted.

I felt a pair of lips kiss my forehead. I looked up and smiled to see Nick looking down at me. "Morning, sleeping beauty." he grinned. Smiling lightly, I said, "Hey, honey."

My hands rested on my bulging stomach, feeling a slight thump there. Looks like the baby knows his mommy's awake...

Looking back up, I noticed Nick staring at something with his blue eyes widened. "Nick? What is it, baby?" I inquired. He simply motioned to a spot around the campfire. I followed his gaze and my eyes widened. Anne and Dylan were lying by the campfire together fast asleep. Anne's head was resting on Dylan's chest as he held her in his arms while they slept on.

Oh my god... That is so adorable! Did they get together?!

I smiled. "They look so cute together..." I whispered. Nick merely rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Nick. I know you're thinking it, too." I teased. He scoffed and looked away, but I saw a hint of a smile creep up on his face. I slowly sat up, resting my hands atop my stomach as I saw the others slowly start to wake up.

"Morning, y'all..." Luke yawned as he sat up, careful of his injured leg. "How's the leg?" Chase inquired as he sat up. Luke moved his leg a little, wincing lightly. "Well... doesn't hurt as much as it did yesterday..."

"You need help, Luke?" Emily asked, but the brown haired man shook his head. "Nah, I'm okay." he told her. Kenny cradled little Alvin Jr in his arms as he walked over to us. "Well, come on, everybody, let's go." he announced.

"Whoa, Kenny. Give us a chance to wake up..." Becca yawned.

Kenny muttered something under his breath before turning his gaze to the fence. Chase, Becca, and Clementine's gazes all fell on Anne and Dylan. Their eyes widened.

"Oh my god." Becca chuckled.

Chase smirked. "I knew they'd get together sooner or later."

Clementine simply smiled at this.

Just then, I saw Anne and Dylan stir in their sleep a little. "Mm..." Anne hummed as she slowly opened her visible eye. It slowly drooped close, but it snapped open when she saw who was looking at them. "What the hell?!" she exclaimed.

Dylan jerked awake at this, but when he saw them staring at him and Anne, he blushed deeply, as well as Anne. Chase grinned widely. "Mornin', lovebirds!" he joked.

Becca smirked and placed a hand on her hip. "Had sweet dreams about each other?" she teased.

Dylan and Anne quickly sat up, but I saw them secretly holding hands. "Okay, you two. Shut up..." Dylan muttered.

Becca started to sing. "Anne and Dylan sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-"

Anne cut her off. "Don't you dare finish that sentence." she warned crankily. Becca simply shrugged. "What? It's true since you two are now-"

"BECCA." Anne growled tiredly. Becca held her hands up in slight surrender. "Okay, okay, we'll shut up." she said with a smirk. Anne grumbled under her breath as her hand rested on top of Dylan's.

Sarah, Clementine, and I were quietly giggling at this. Anne and Dylan are so cute together!

Anne got to her feet and helped Dylan up as she slung her guitar back onto her shoulder. Nick helped me up to my own feet since I was having trouble due to my bulging belly.

Kenny glared at Arvo, who was still tied up to the tower. Mike then walked over to him. "Here, let me take him..." he offered, motioning to AJ. Kenny reluctantly handed the child to Mike before storming over to Arvo. "Get up." he snarled as he pulled the Russian teen up to his feet while untying his wrists from the tower. "Time to get movin'."

"U-Um, Kenny, maybe you shouldn't-" Sarah meekly began.

"Shouldn't what?! He deserves it!" Kenny spat out.

Emily sighed. "Kenny, you need to ease up on him."

"Like hell I will! This assholes taking us to this 'house'. We NEED those supplies for AJ! If he won't take us, then I'll make him take us!" Kenny snapped.

Anne shook her head. "Kenny, seriously. Don't you think you're taking it a little too far?" she questioned. "No, I'm not. I'm just protecting us from people like him." the bearded man responded harshly.

Luke simply sighed as he managed to get to his feet and picked up his assault rifle. I looked out at the fence. "We better get moving. We might have a long walk ahead of us..." I say.

Nick supported me as we all gathered our things and left our homemade camp. I wish we didn't have to leave, but we needed that food and shelter. I just hope it has formula for AJ.

One by one, we climbed through the hole in the fence, leaving another shelter once again.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I looked back at the power station one last time. I was pulled out of my thoughts when Dylan gently took ahold of my hand.

"Come on... we gotta get moving." he told me softly. I nodded as I adjusted my guitar on my back while we walked.

As we trudged through the woods, the snow crunching underneath our feet, I saw a couple electrical towers leading to the power station that was now far behind us.

Mike paused walking for a moment to look back at Luke, who was limping after us with his assault rifle in hand. "You sure you're good?" he inquired.

Luke nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. If I start to crap out, I'll let ya know." he replied.

"Okay, well, you do that. It's no trouble." Mike told him.

My attention turned back to Kenny, who kept his gun trained on Arvo's back, who reluctantly limped ahead. "How much further?" Kenny asked for what seemed to be the hundredth time. "Close. Very close." Arvo muttered.

"You've been sayin' that every time I ask..." Kenny grumbled.

"Please. Come." Arvo mumbled.

"I'm really startin' to think... that you're full of shit."

Honestly, can't Kenny ease up on him?

"It can't be much further." Bonnie said. Suddenly, I hear a snarl and a gasp. "KENNY! There's a walker behind you!" Clementine exclaimed.

All of us froze and saw a snarling walker stagger towards Kenny. "WHAT THE FUCK?! Aaargh!" he exclaimed as the walker tackled him to the ground. He struggled to keep it off him. Arvo merely stared with wide eyes.

"Kenny!" Emily gasped. "Shit!" I swore as I got my gun out and aimed it at the walker. A gunshot rang throughout the air and the walker fell limp, but it didn't come from my gun. I looked over my shoulder and saw that Clem had shot it.

AJ started to cry at the sudden noise.

"Holy shit..." Tess gasped. Kenny shoved the dead walker off him, panting slightly.

"That was too damn close." Chase muttered. Kenny pushed himself up. "Fucker came outta nowhere!" he gasped out. "Kenny, are you alright?!" Tess asked. He nodded, panting. "Y-Yeah... just that the bastard took me by surprise..." he told her.

Bonnie looked around. "That was real loud. Hopefully there aren't more of 'em..."

Jane walked by us. "Yeah, well, let's move. We don't wanna be around to find out." she told us.

"No way in hell I'm sticking around here after that happened." Becca muttered.

"Let's go, then. The sooner we get outta here, the better. Who knows what that gunshot attracted. " I say as I put my gun up.

Arvo looked back at us. "Is very close. Come." he told us. Tess tried to soothe AJ as he whined. Slowly, the child's cries dimmed down until he finally stopped whining as we resumed our trek to this 'house'.

* * *

Arvo kept limping ahead of us, leading the way as we followed him. I could see that the tree line was getting thinner, meaning we were almost out of the forest.

As we exited the snow covered forest, Arvo looked at something in the distance. "There..." he muttered.

I could see a frozen lake ahead of us, completely covered in ice. Beyond that, I could see a house, but it looked halfway built.

Well, this is just great.

Kenny scowled. "That piece of shit? It's half built." he snapped.

"You have GOT to be kidding me..." Becca groaned. Jane sighed. "We're here for the supplies. Not the house." she pointed out.

"But we could spend the night there." Shel pointed out.

Arvo looked over his shoulder back at us. "Is warm. Fireplace. Very warm." he explained.

"I'd just like a place to sit down, if I'm honest." Luke admitted as he limped over to us.

"As long as there's food, who cares what it looks like?" Clem asked. "You're not gonna think that when you wake up with a couple inches of snow covering you." Kenny said as he looked at the younger girl.

We are all silent for a moment. Mike decides to break it. "Are we just gonna walk over?"

WHOA, WHAT?!

None of us decided to answer that question as we slowly approached the edge of the frozen lake. "Maybe there's a way around." Bonnie spoke up. Luke looked around. "I don't see any." he observed.

I observed the area around us. Crap, I couldn't see any other route. "Neither do I." I said.

"Maybe we could swim across?" Chase somewhat joked, earning a glare from both Dylan and I. He gulped and looked back at the frozen lake. "Shutting up now..."

Arvo then turned to look back at us as he began to speak in his native language. Kenny then cut him off. "Say it in American, asshole." he sighed.

"Is okay. Walk. Ice." Arvo translated.

"No shit, ice." Kenny retorted. "That's the problem."

"He's saying its fine..." Bonnie said.

"We can't exactly trust him. I mean, look at that! Who knows if it's thin?" Emily asked.

"W-W-We're gonna walk across the ice?!" Sarah stuttered. Tess looked at her. "The fast way between two... things is a straight line. Looks like we have no other choice." she sighed.

"Well, shit." Chase groaned. Arvo looked at us. "I go first. I can be front." he said.

"Guys, maybe if we go real slow, it'll probably be okay..." Clementine suggested. I nodded. "Yeah, we can't rush across this." I agreed.

Jane looked out at the lake. "We need to spread out. Just to be safe. Less weight, the better." she explained. Kenny looked back at Arvo and frowned. "Let the Ruskie go first, since he's so confident." he said.

"Is okay." Arvo insisted.

Tess let out a sigh. "I'll go last. I don't want to hold anybody back."

I gasped, as well as a few others. "What?! Oh no, you are NOT going last!" I say.

"Anne, the ice could break under me! Someone might get hurt because of me..." Tess trailed off.

Nick walked over to her and took ahold of her hand. "I won't let that happen. You can't risk it. The baby might..."

Shel let out a sigh. "I'll go last." she volunteered. Tess immediately shook her head. "No, Shel, let me-" she began, but Shel cut her off. "Tess, I'll be fine. You just worry about your baby." she told her. "Plus, with Luke's leg... It'd be better if I go last."

"But Shel...!" Becca protested. The woman shook her head. "I don't want you or anybody else getting hurt." she explained.

I looked at Shel uncertainly. "You're sure about this, Shel?" I questioned.

She nodded. "I'll be fine, Anne."

I nodded, but kept an uncertain look on my face. Arvo then limped out onto the ice and slowly limped forward with Kenny following him incase he tried anything. Mike and Jane slowly stepped forward next, followed by Nick, Tess, and Emily, who made sure to spread out. Dylan had placed my guitar on his back. I looked down nervously at the ice before I cautiously placed my foot on it.

Oh, good. It didn't fall through...

Slowly, I placed my other foot on the ice and took a step forward. As I slowly walked, I prayed that I wouldn't fall through. I don't wanna find out what was under the ice...

I made sure to watch my step as I was now about a fourth of the way across. Dylan, Chase, and Sarah weren't too far away from me. Clementine, Bonnie, Shel, Becca, and Luke were a little bit behind me.

I froze up when I heard a soft, cracking noise. I looked down at my feet and my eye widened seeing a couple small cracks underneath my foot. My breath hitched at the sight. Oh god...

"We're okay, Anne. Don't be afraid..." Dylan assured me. I shakily nodded and cautiously kept walking slowly, keeping an even closer eye on the ice below me.

Just then, a faint, familiar sound reached my ears.

Walkers. Great... they must've heard that gunshot from earlier. "We've got some walkers behind us." Jane warned us. "It's only two of them... We should be alright." Mike said.

"Let's just get to the house, guys..." Emily said as she looked back at the walkers. Okay, the amount of walkers approaching is making me nervous- wait, why is Arvo limping faster?

"Hey! Stay with us!" Kenny ordered. Just then, the ice cracked beneath two walkers and caused them to fall into the lake. "Fuck!" Mike swore in surprise.

"Well... At least that's two less to deal with..." I heard Jane sigh as she resumed walking. "Just stay spread out, everyone. We'll be fine." Shel told us. While Kenny was distracted, Arvo suddenly limped away quickly. "Hey! Motherfucker!" Kenny swore as he ran after him.

What's he doing?!

"Shit! He's gonna kill him!" Mike exclaimed as he, Nick, Tess, Chase, and Emily ran after Kenny. "Get back here, you piece of shit!" Kenny growled as he chased Arvo. The ice suddenly cracked from underneath Arvo, causing him to fall halfway through. He managed to pull some of himself out of the water, but Kenny had caught up to him and pulled him out. "I should let you drown, you piece of shit!"

"Dammit, Kenny! Don't run!" Tess yelled as she caught up with them. Kenny, Arvo, Mike, Nick, Chase, Tess, and Emily all reached the other side of the lake. I saw Arvo trip and land on the snowy shore, but my attention turned back to Dylan. "Come on... We can't stay on this ice much longer." he warned before he resumed walking with Sarah and Jane. Bonnie and Luke were just a few feet away from me to my left. "You okay, Luke?" I asked as I watched him limp. He nodded, not saying anything.

I was about to take another step forward when I heard the sound of ice cracking. I stiffened up.

Oh... shit...

Slowly, I turned around and saw Clementine and Becca looking at Shel with worry. I wondered why until I saw cracks on the ice underneath Shel's feet.

Oh no...

I could see Shel look at Becca and Clem nervously. Becca started to slowly make her way towards Shel, but her older sister stopped her. "Don't come over here..." she warned. Becca immediately stopped walking. "I-I can make it, it's fine."

"Are you sure, Shel?" Becca asked with worry.

"Yeah... J-Just stay there, okay?" Shel told her before looking over her shoulder, seeing the walkers slowly approaching.

"Shel, there's walkers behind you. Just let me help!" Becca insisted. I saw Shel shake her head. "It's too thin for the both of us, Becca! I-I just gotta be careful-" Shel said as she took a step forward. Suddenly, the ice gave in underneath her foot and her leg fell into the icy water. "AHH! FUCK!"

I gasped. "SHIT!"

"NO! SHEL!" I heard Tess cry out as Nick and Luke restrained her from running out to the ice.

"SHEL, NO!" Becca cried as she and Clementine ran forward. "S-Stop... Stop!" Shel warned, making Clementine and Becca freeze in place. "I-I-I'm fine, okay?" she called. I looked on nervously from where I stood, worried for her AND worried about the walkers approaching. She needed to get out of there NOW!

"No, you're not!" I called to her.

"I-I j-j-just gotta pull myself out!" Shel shivered, holding herself up on the ice.

"You need help, Shel!" Clementine exclaimed. Shel shook her head stubbornly. "T-The ice is too thin, Clem... I-I got it..." she insisted as she kept herself held up. Becca looked over at Clementine. "You need to help her!" she told Clem frantically.

Shel's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No! You're gonna fall through!" she protested. "Clem, please! Go help her!" Becca pleaded.

Is she crazy?! She'll fall through!

"No, Clem! Do not!"

"Please, she's my sister! Just go back for her! Y-You're light. You can do it!" Becca insisted. Shel shook her head. "Stop telling her that! Clementine, look at me. Pull out your gun and shoot those walkers behind me, okay? Just give me a little time..." the woman ordered as she tried to pull herself out. Becca pulled out her gun and aimed at the walkers while I reached for my own Glock 17. "Clem, you can make it! But you need to go now!" Becca exclaimed.

"Are you crazy?!" I yelled at Becca.

"C-Clem, it's too dangerous! I j-just need some more time!" Shel shivered.

"Clem, please! She's my sister!" Becca pleaded.

"You gotta hurry!" Mike called frantically.

I watched in shock as Clementine slowly and cautiously started to walk to Shel. "CLEM, NO!" I exclaimed.

"Clementine, stop!" Kenny yelled.

"Clementine!" Mike gasped.

Emily cried out, "Clem, get back here!"

But Clementine didn't listen to any of us. She just kept slowly heading over to Shel, who tried to pull herself out of the water.

"Shit..." I swore under my breath as we watched nervously. I aimed at a couple walkers that were slowly approaching. I missed one, but the next one was a direct hit and it collapsed to the ice. Becca shot another walker approaching. Damn it, these things just don't give up!

I shot another walker in the head as I saw Shel looking at Clementine with pleading eyes. "J-J-Just g-go back. P-Please, Clem..." she pleaded before looking over at Becca. "Becca, I-I love you... Never forget that, okay...?"

"Shel, please...!" Becca cried out.

I saw Clementine reach out to the older woman. "I got you... It's gonna be alright-"

Suddenly, as if the ice decided to play a cruel joke on them, it broke underneath them, pulling both Clementine and Shel into the freezing water, taking walkers down with them.

I gasped, putting my gun away. NO!

Becca's eyes widened and she lowered her gun. "NOOOO!" she sobbed.

"C-CLEMENTINE!" Sarah shrieked.

Without thinking, I immediately dashed forward. "ANNE, WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!" Dylan exclaimed.

"ANNE! DON'T RUN!" Tess warned.

I was just a couple feet away from the hole when I heard the ice crack below me. Almost immediately, I fell through the ice. "FU-!" I managed to get out, taking a deep breath of what little air I could gain before falling into the cold water.

GAH!

The icy water felt like... like icy knives being stuck into my body. My first thought was the get the hell out of the water as I thrashed around from the sudden movement. My visible eye searched frantically through the murky waters for Shel and Clementine.

Fuck, w-where are they?!

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Clementine banging on the ice to try and break through.

CLEM!

I wanted to call out to her, but I only had so much air right now. I quickly swam over to her and froze hearing muffled growls. I was shocked to see a walker trying to bite her. Walkers can swim?! What the hell!

I banished these thoughts from my head, swimming faster until I reached Clem, who was desperately trying to kick away the walker. With a final kick, she managed to get it off and I quickly grabbed her, starting to swim up to the hole. But a walker suddenly appearing in front of us made me stop.

Aw, shit!

Just then, something grabbed it from behind and pulled it away from us. It was Shel! She shoved the walker away from us and attempted to swim up, but the walker managed to grab her ankle.

No! No, no, no, no, NO!

I reacted quickly and grasped her arm as Clementine clutched onto the back of my jacket, trying to pull us up. But the walker was slowly pulling all three of us down. I struggled to pull her up, but the walker tugged back. Shel looked up at us, motioning to go, but I shook my head. I couldn't let her go!

Her eyes were pleading... she knew what was gonna happen to her...

If I didn't let go, then ALL of us would die... but I couldn't just leave her!

I tried to pull her up once again, but the walker tugged harder. By now, my lungs felt like they were on fire. The icy cold water was piercing my skin. Clementine didn't look so well... we needed air. Badly.

I looked back at Shel, shaking my head. I can't let her go! She's Becca's sister!

Just then, Shel's free hand grabbed my wrist and forced me to let go of her arm.

I mentally gasped. NO! NOOOO! WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING?!

I watched on with wide eyes as she looked at us with sad, brown eyes. She mouthed to us with air bubbles leaving her mouth, 'Goodbye.'

Then, the walker dragged her down into the murky depths. Shel thrashed around and looked up at us for the last time.

Then... I couldn't see her...

No! SHIT! SHIIIITT!

NOT SHEL!

Shaking my head tearfully, I quickly swam up towards the hole with Clementine. My lungs felt like they were gonna burst at any second. Just then, two pairs of hands grabbed us and pulled us out. Almost instantly, the cold air hit my soaking skin like an anvil as I sucked in mouthfuls of air while lying on top of the ice. "F-F-F-Fuckin' s-s-shit!" I swore as I shivered. I managed to glance up and see that Dylan and Jane were the ones who pulled us out. I could hear Becca sobbing nearby.

"ANNE!" Tess screamed from the shore. I could see her trying to run to me, but Nick and Luke were holding her back.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Jane swore repeatedly. "It's okay, we've got you!"

"S-S-Shel... G-G-Get S-Shel..." Clementine shivered, her skin an unhealthy blue.

"Come on... Come on, you're gonna be okay..." Jane told her before scooping her up in her arms. Dylan quickly picked me up bridal style. "Go! Get to the house! We need a fire!" he roared as he, Jane, and Becca ran back to the others while carrying us.

"Oh shit, they're gonna fucking freeze to death if we don't get them warm!" Jane exclaimed.

Shivering, I looked back at the frozen lake over Dylan's shoulder... which was now a watery grave for our friend...

* * *

"How the fuck did that happen?!" Kenny yelled before they quickly carried us into the house. Jane looked around frantically. "There's a fireplace!" she exclaimed.

Becca was openly sobbing while Tess was trying to comfort her, tears streaming down her own face as well.

Jane and Dylan set us down. "We gotta get them warm! They're gonna freeze to death!" Dylan exclaimed with worry. I quickly slipped off my leather jacket and Jane hung it next to Clementine's jacket to dry. The short haired woman then rushed off to another room to look for supplies as Arvo looked at us.

"She's just gone... Shel's fucking gone..." Mike whispered. "We've should have gone around..."

"Goddammit..." Kenny growled as he started pacing.

"W-We tried to help her...!" Clementine managed to get out. I wrapped my arms around myself to try and keep myself warm, but my soaked flannel shirt wasn't really helping.

Mike placed some logs into the fireplace. "Once that ice started to go, there was nothing any of us could do..." he muttered sadly.

"C-C-Clem and Anne tried to help... s-she just..." Becca choked out before breaking down again. Kenny scowled at Arvo and stormed over to him. "You son of a bitch! This was your fuckin' fault!" he accused.

"Kenny, stop!" Emily exclaimed.

"Don't WHAT?!" Kenny seethed.

"G-Guys, can we get a fire started?! We're freezing! W-We can talk about this later!" I try to calm them down. Kenny looked back at me before he glanced around the house. "Look at this place. Just a stack of goddamn toothpicks. Guess those magical 'supplies' are a pile of bullshit, too!" Kenny snapped at Arvo, who remained silent. "What?! No speaka de English?!"

Arvo was silent for a moment before he glared up at Kenny. "Fuck you."

All of us froze. Did he really just say that to KENNY?!

Kenny seethed. "You fucking Commie piece of shit!" he roared before he punched him in the face, sending Arvo hurtling to the ground. Clementine watched with shock as Kenny started wailing on Arvo mercilessly while I just sat there, watching with a wide eye. Before I could even react, Clementine jumped up and raced towards Kenny. "NO, CLEM-" I began, but froze when Kenny accidentally elbowed her in the face. All of us froze and watched with shock as Clem held her nose. Kenny looked back at Clem with shock at what he done before she muttered, "Just stop."

Kenny was silent for a moment before he got off of a beaten and bruised Arvo. Jane then walked into the room carrying a bag and a can of food. Her eyes widened seeing Arvo lying on the floor before looking at Kenny. "What did you do to him?" she gasped before tossing the bag to the ground and walking over to the fireplace. "There's another one just like it. He WASN'T lying!"

W-Wait, so he's been telling the truth the whole time?!

Then... Kenny's been beating him for nothing?!

I pushed these thoughts away, watching as Kenny picked up a can of chili and looked back at Jane. "You mind tellin' me... how a can of fuckin' chili... is gonna help a baby?"

"How is beating a kid to death gonna help ANYONE?!" Jane retorted angrily as she glared at Kenny with fire in her eyes.

"This is your fault. And you DAMN well know it." Bonnie told Kenny angrily, making Kenny look away for a moment. Then, he glared down at Arvo. "I'm tyin' him up."

Jane shook her head as Kenny made Arvo go over to an unfinished set of stairs. "Mike, help me get a fire started." she requested. Mike, however, was looking at Arvo, who was being led away by Kenny. "You okay? He's hurt real bad-"

"Mike!"

The man nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, okay... You got a light?"

I saw Jane search her pockets. "I... I thought I had a match..."

Clementine knelt by her side and pulled something silver out; it was the nail file Jane found at the trailer park. I saw Jane smile faintly. "You kept it..." she observed before she grabbed a rock and struck the nail file with it, creating a spark and a fire in the fireplace.

Almost immediately, I could feel the heat of the fire. Quickly, I scooted over to the fireplace and sat next to Clem. The fire kept us warm... but it couldn't help us with what had happened minutes ago.

Becca, who was quietly sobbing, was being comforted by Tess and Chase. Luke sat on the floor next to Emily with his head held in his hands while Nick leaned against the wall biting his thumb like he did back at the cabin. Kenny had slumped over on the ground a little bit away from the fire. Alvin Jr had been placed inside a box serving as a makeshift crib. Dylan sat down next to me with a sad expression in his face. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close to his chest, helping warming me up.

I said nothing. After everything that happened today... how could this happen?

I leaned my head on Dylan's chest sadly as I blankly stared out the window at the frozen lake, or rather, the watery grave of Shel...


	32. Where To Go?

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

After what seemed like ages to me, my clothes and hair were no longer damp. I had slipped my leather jacket back on a while ago to get warmer when it got dark outside. Clementine had fallen asleep during that period of time.

I just hoped she was able to sleep okay after what happened...

Becca was in a corner of the room sulking. I... I just can't believe Shel's gone...

I... I wish we never went across the damn lake in the first place. If we hadn't crossed it, Shel would still be here.

Dylan sat next to me, wrapping his arm around me to silently comfort me.

"It's okay, Anne... You tried your best..." he whispered to me. I could have done more to save her...

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I saw Mike kneel down to check on Arvo. "Let me take a look at you, kid." he requested. Arvo reluctantly let him look at his wounds. "Goddamn... He coulda killed you. The fuck is wrong with him?"

I gotta agree... Kenny was WAY outta line. And he ended up elbowing Clem in the face! "I swear, Kenny's getting outta control..." I muttered.

Out of the corner of my visible eye, I saw Clementine slowly get up. "Hey, sleepyhead..." I greeted with a slight smile. Clementine smiled back and sat up, looking around. "Where's Kenny?"

Jane sighed next to where Dylan and I were sitting. "He's out back trying to get some stupid truck and van started. Doubt they'll work." she explained as Clementine sat in between Jane and I. Jane offered her a can of chili, which the girl gladly took and started eating.

"You okay, Clem?" I asked.

"Yeah... I'm not that cold anymore..." Clem told me. "Man, that water was fuckin' freezing..." I muttered. Clementine said nothing, but nodded in agreement.

"You okay?" Mike asked Arvo, who seemed to nod. "Thank you..." the bruised teen muttered.

I was silent for a moment before I shook my head. "I can't believe Shel's gone..." I whispered. Dylan, Jane, and Clem looked at me. I let out a sigh. "Shel was... Well, she was one of the nicest people there back at Carver's. She kept a level head most of the time."

"She was really nice..." Clem muttered sadly. Letting out another sigh, I nodded. "Yeah... I... I just wish we never went across that stupid lake in the first place... I mean, look at Becca..." I whispered, looking over at the teen. Her hair was messy and her eyes were red from crying. "I don't know what she's gonna do now... I don't know if she'll be able to keep travelin' after... you know..."

"Maybe I shouldn't have come back..." Jane muttered.

"I'm glad you did." Clem said to Jane. The short haired woman smiled faintly at her before the four of us looked over at Mike. "I'm gonna find somethin' to clean that up..." he told Arvo as he got to his feet. "Thank you... Thank you..." Arvo whispered gratefully. Mike stood up and walked to another room. "I can't take this shit anymore..." I heard the man mutter. Just then, Kenny walked into the room. "Feelin' any better?" he asked.

Jane instantly frowned at him. Kenny ignored the frown. "Hell of a day." he remarked softly.

Hell yeah 'Hell of a day'. We lost Shel, Clem and I fell into freezing water, AND Kenny beat Arvo to a pulp! Not to mention he ended up elbowing Clem by accident! I swear, ever since Sarita, Kenny's been spiraling more and more outta control.

"But we gotta get movin'. Kenny said as he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "If you're feelin' up to it, I could use a hand out back with the truck and van. This house ain't with a shit, but those vehicles ain't in bad shape. With a little luck, we can get one or two fixed up and we'll be on our way outta here by nightfall."

Clementine nodded. "Just... Give me a minute." she requested as she glanced at us. Kenny nodded. "I'll wait for ya out back."

Clem glanced down at AJ, who was resting inside a makeshift crib. "We'll watch him." Jane volunteered with a slight smile. Kenny was silent for a moment before he headed back outside. Clementine then got up and slipped on her rainbow jacket. "Clem." Jane suddenly said. "Just... be careful. Y'know, after what happened."

Clementine nodded before she headed outside. I let out a sigh. "God... How could Kenny do that to Arvo?" I asked. "Sure, he may have screwed up, but what Kenny did... That was just..."

"If you ask me, he deserved it..." Chase said as he walked into the room. I'm starting to think that, too. If Arvo hadn't lied to his group in the first place, then we wouldn't be in this goddamn mess. Shel would still be alive...

The sound of footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Tess slowly walking over to Becca. Well, here's to hoping she can talk to her.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

"Becca?" I asked softly as I knelt down next to her with some difficulty. The teenager tried to scoot away from me, but the wall was next to her, so she didn't get very far. I let out a sigh. "Becca..." I tried again.

Becca looked away from the wall she was staring at, a tear visible as it slid down her cheek. "What?"

"You alright?" I questioned as I laid a hand on her shoulder. Becca s hook her head. "N-No... Shel's gone... M-my sister's gone..." she choked out. I reached out to hug her, but she flinched and scooted away. I let out a sigh. "I know, Becca..."

Becca sniffled as she stared into the wall. "First Mom and Dad, now Shel?! Why?!"

"I'm sorry... We never should have gone across that lake in the first place..." I whispered as I gently pulled her into a hug. This time, she didn't react. "This is all the Russian guy's fault... He got my sister killed..."

I shushed her. "Becca, the ice was too thin... If you had gone to her, you would have drowned, too. We're lucky that Anne and Clementine made it out okay." I tell her before I looked over at Arvo, who laid slumped over with his wrists bound to the unfinished stairs. That kid pulled a stupid move... Because of him, we lost one of our own yesterday and today.

"But Shel didn't! S-She's gone..." Becca choked out as she wriggled out of my grasp.

"I know it's hard. It's okay to be sad." I tell her gently. Becca looked at me through her tears. "You don't understand! Shel's gone! She was my only family I had left! Now I have no one..." she whispered.

I shook my head. "That's not true. You have us..." I pointed out.

Becca glared at me. "You don't understand! Mom and Dad were never around! They were always working! Shel was the only one who took care of me! What am I supposed to do now?!" the grieving girl asked.

"Keep living." I tell her simply. "I know what you're going through right now. I lost my mother a couple months ago because of..."

I trailed off, closing my eyes as I remembered my mother's smiling face. Mom...

"... because of my father." I continued, frowning at the word 'father'. "But she's in a better place right now. Just like Shel is. Becca... when my mother died, I shut people out. I just sat inside my tent crying most of the day. But when I finally let someone in, that's when I realized that I had to keep moving and get out of that hellhole."

I looked at the grieving teenager and said, "Becca, don't shut people out. Trust me... There are people who care about you. Just don't push them away, okay?"

Becca looked down at the floor. "The last words she told me were 'I love you'..."

"Then never forget those words, alright?" I tell her.

The younger girl was silent as she stared at the wall with a couple tears falling out of her eyes. "I'll leave you alone, then." I tell her as I slowly got to my feet, wincing as I did, and left the girl alone. Resting a hand atop my bulging stomach, I walked into another room and found Nick sitting in it. "Hey, honey..." I greeted as I slowly walked in.

"Hi, sweetie." he replied as he got up and helped me sit down next to him. Once I was seated, I let out a sigh. "I... I can't believe Shel's gone..."

Nick frowned sadly as he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close to him. "Me either... It happened so fast..."

I let out a sniffle as I closed my eyes, remembering Shel. She was a sweet woman... Always took care of Becca, making sure she didn't get into any trouble... God, where did yesterday go?

I then winced as I felt another thump in my abdomen. I guess the baby knows I'm sad...

I placed my hands atop my stomach as Nick kissed my forehead. "We'll make it out of this okay..." he whispered as he held me close to him. "We'll be okay..."

* * *

**Anne's POV**

After Tess left the room, Becca's just been sitting there in the corner. God... Why, Shel?

The room was eerily silent. Chase was leaning against the wall, a frown on his face as he looked down at the floor. Emily was slumped in a corner seemingly asleep. Sarah was curled up in a ball in another corner of the room. Jane had gone to another room to watch Alvin Jr for Clem while she was outside. I noticed that Luke wasn't anywhere in the room.

"Hey, where's Luke?" I asked, gaining some of the others' attention. "I-I think he went outside..." Sarah answered as she pointed to the door. From where I sat with Dylan, I saw that Luke was indeed outside by the lake. I rose an eyebrow. Maybe I should see what he's doing.

"Thanks, Sarah." I told her as I got up. "Anne." Dylan called to me. I paused and looked back at him. "Yeah?"

"Be careful out there. With Kenny the way he is now..." he warned as he trailed off.

I nodded. "Got it." I told him as I stepped out the doors. Immediately, the cold breeze hit my skin and I quietly shivered. I used to love the winter. Now, I dread it.

I slowly walked over to Luke, who was by the shore working on... something. "Luke?" I called out to him. He looked over his shoulder and saw me. "Oh. Hey, Anne..." he greeted before resuming on whatever he was working on. "What're you doing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Luke sighed. "Well, Shel didn't get a proper burial... So this is the best we can do for her..."

I looked at what he was working on and my eye, as well as my covered eye, widened. It was a makeshift grave marker, which happened to be a plank of wood. On it were words carved in by a knife. It read, 'RIP SHEL. LOVING SISTER. WE'LL MISS YOU.'

Luke let out another sad sigh. "Becca would want this..." he said. "Help me with this, would you?"

I nodded and helped Luke carry the makeshift grave marker over to a good spot. Once we found a nice place by the shore where it wouldn't get washed away, Luke placed it firmly into the ground, making it stand upright. He then limped away a few feet and looked back at the lake sadly. "What a day, huh?" he asked softly. I nodded, staring at the grave marker mournfully. "Yeah... Luke, you should get inside. It's cold out here."

"What 'bout you, Anne?"

"I'll be in there in a few." I told him. The older man simply nodded as he looked at the lake one final time before limping inside.

I stared down at the grave marker for Shel. "We'll watch after Becca... Rest in Peace, Shel..." I murmured with sadness in my voice before I headed back to the unfinished house, leaving the grave.

* * *

As I stepped inside, I felt a little bit warmer now that I was out of the cold. It was... rather quiet. Chase was still leaning against the wall as he crossed his arms. Sarah was by Becca trying to talk to her. As I walked past them, I could hear what they were saying.

"I'm... Sorry about what happened to your sister..." Sarah said softly.

Becca was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry about what happened to your dad..."

I saw Sarah look down sadly. "I miss my daddy..."

Becca looked away from her. "... I bet you do." she muttered. "Y-You're not gonna call me a baby for that...?" Sarah asked cautiously. The other girl shook her head. "No... _I'm_ the one who's being the baby now..." she murmured. Wow... Never thought that Becca of all people would say something like that...

Well, at least they're getting along.

I walked past the duo and over to Chase. "Hey..." I greeted. He looked up at me and smiled faintly. "Hey, Annie..." he responded, but the smile fell as he glared at Arvo. "What's on your mind?" I asked.

"He got one of ours killed... We shouldn't have trusted that guy in the first place." he muttered as he shook his head. "And what Kenny did to him... I swear, Kenny's losin' it."

I nodded in agreement. Kenny seemed to be losing sanity slowly... But how much longer until he finally snaps?

"You know, back then, Kenny wasn't always like this..." Chase told me. "How did you and Dylan meet him?" I questioned. Chase and Dylan never really went into details about how they met the man.

Chase sighed and crossed his arms. "Well, it was several months ago... Dylan and I were on a supply run looking for food. We ended up only getting a little bit of food before walkers started streaming in. We managed to haul our asses outta that store, but we ended up running into Kenny and Sarita. Kenny's beard was longer than it is today." he told me. "He was hostile to us at first, but Sarita managed to calm him down. After that, the walkers in the store we were in came out, so we all had to run. They ran outta ammo, but we saved them by shooting those walkers that were gonna eat them..."

The teenager let out another sigh. "Sarita insisted that we traveled with them since we saved them, but Kenny was reluctant to let us come. He and I butted heads a couple times, but after a while, Kenny warmed up to us. The four of us stuck together for a long time until we came across that ski lodge, where we met Matthew and Walter... Damn, those two were great guys..." he muttered as he shook his head. "Kenny's a great guy and all... but look at him now. He's losing it... and he ended up hurting Clementine... Who knows who he'll hurt next?"

I crossed my arms and sighed. "You're right, Chase. We'll have to keep an eye on him from now on...

Chase then glanced at Arvo before looking at me. "You go on ahead. I'll keep an eye in him, make sure he won't cause any trouble."

"He can't really do anythin' while he's tied up, you know?" I pointed out. "Yeah. I got this, Anne. You go on and go cuddle with Dylan." he told me.

"... oh, shut up..." I muttered as I trudged away from Chase into another room.

Even when he's serious, Chase still manages to be a goofball.

* * *

When I entered the other room, I found Jane sitting by the window talking to Clementine. In between them was AJ lying inside the makeshift crib. I trudged over to them with my hands shoved in my pockets. "Hey, you two..." I greeted, gaining their attention.

"Hi, Anne." Clem replied.

I peered out the window, seeing Kenny working on a red truck and a van. "Goddammit!" I heard him swear in frustration.

"I've seen that look before." Jane remarked.

"Son of a bitch..." Kenny swore again.

"He'll be fine..." Clementine insisted, but Jane shook her head. "Clem, he beat that boy within an inch of his life. We are way past fine..." the short haired woman said. She then let out a sigh. "I know Kenny's a nice guy, Clem. I bet Carver was a nice guy too, once. Probably had a nice job, and a nice, pretty wife... I bet his daughters didn't hate him back then... Then all of this happened. And one day, he caved some kid's face in and realized he could sleep at night."

Alvin Jr whined slightly, but he did not wake up.

Frowning, I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall. "Carver had a wife, but they divorced. He let her get eaten alive. And from what I heard from Tess, I doubt he was a 'nice guy' back then." I told Jane.

"Kenny isn't Carver. He just made a mistake." Clementine defended.

"All I'm sayin' is, start thinking about what happens if you're wrong." Jane sighed. Clem was silent, but looked out the window at Kenny. "You two've known each other a long time. Sooner or later, you're gonna have to decide how much that's worth." the short haired woman told the girl.

I shook my head and sighed as I looked out the window, seeing Kenny kick the van with frustration. Jane may be wrong, but...

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of AJ whining. Well, look who's up.

"I think it needs food, or something..." Jane pointed out. Clementine picked up the young child and held him in her arms. "Hey there, grumpy..." I smirked. Almost immediately, AJ calmed down and looked up at Clem. Aww...

"Now that's cute..." I smiled.

"Seems like you've done that before." Jane remarked. Clementine smiled. "Wanna try?" she offered, but Jane shook her head. "No way, it's gonna puke." she declined.

Heh, is Jane scared of holding a baby?

I saw Clementine smirk and hand Alvin Jr to Jane anyway. "Clem, no..." Jane began, but the baby was already in her arms. I tried not to snicker at the look on her face. "Hold it like this." Clem explained as she gestured how to hold him. Jane then looked down at AJ. "Hey... hi. Heh, my name's Jane..." she awkwardly said to the baby, who simply stared up at her. I snickered. Oh, this is too good!

"I wish I had a camera with me right now..." I chuckled. Jane shot a glare at me out of the corner of my eye for my comment before it changed to a nervous look. "I think it's gonna puke."

"It's not gonna puke..." Clem assured her.

Right after she said that, Alvin Jr coughed and a white substance came out of his mouth, landing on Jane's yellow jacket.

Aaaannnd he puked.

"It puked, it puked!" Jane exclaimed with alarm as she quickly handed AJ back to Clementine. I snickered at this as she groaned and wiped the baby vomit off her jacket, muttering, "Gross..."

Way to prove her wrong, AJ.

Clem smiled too, but it fell as she held up a baby bottle while cradling AJ. "There's not much left..." she pointed out.

"And we might need it for Tess if she has the baby early..." I interjected. Jane let out a sigh. "I was running with some people a long time ago down near DC." she suddenly brought up. "Some guy got trapped in the middle of a crosswalk. Can't remember his name. He used to call me 'Mary Jane'."

"Like from those comics?" I asked as I took a seat next to the window. The woman nodded. "He was a total pain in the ass. Anyway, the dick got stuck under a car hiding from over a dozen walkers. One after another, they went down there trying to save him." she paused for a moment as a sad expression appeared on her face. "Lost four people before we got him outta there."

Yikes...

"They had to try, right?" Clementine asked.

Jane was silent for a moment before she continued, "Didn't find out till later that he was already bit. Turned and ripped the neck outta this old lady."

"Damn..." I muttered with shock. The short haired woman let out a sigh. "The look on her face was... She was just staring up at the sky. Like she was watching a bird..."

The image popped into my mind and I shuddered. I didn't wanna think of that...

Jane then looked at Clementine. "Look, Clem..."

She was cut off by the roar of a pair of engines. What the...

The three of us looked out the window, seeing Mike rush out to the truck which Kenny was in. "Shit! Yeah!" Kenny exclaimed.

"He got them working!" Clementine gasped. "Hell yeah!" I whooped as we rushed outside. I could hear several others following us as we stepped out onto the snowy ground and headed towards the truck, seeing Kenny grinning. "What'd I tell ya?" he asked before turning the engine of the light off. "So what's the plan, then?" Mike asked. Jane was the last to step outside. "How much food do we have left?" she questioned.

"About a week's worth left." Emily answered seriously.

"And for the baby?"

Mike sighed. "Not much..." he replied.

"We need to find a place for the baby." Clementine spoke up. Mike nodded. "Yeah. Someplace warm." he agreed.

"I agree." Jane concurred with a nod. "We should head back south."

Kenny rose an eyebrow as he stepped out of the truck. "What?"

"We're all gonna freeze to death out here. I don't know whose stupid idea it was to march up here in the first place, but it was a bad one." Jane said as she crossed her arms.

"She's right." he agreed.

"What if we went back to Howe's?" Jane suggested.

WHAT?!

"Excuse me?!" Tess frowned.

"Wait, what? Fuck that, I was thinking of someplace like Texas." Mike objected. Kenny scowled at this. "Texas? The fuck?"

Mike shrugged. "It was just an idea."

"We already talked about this!" Kenny snapped, earning a frown from Mike. "I'm sorry, we did?" he asked.

Kenny crossed his arms as he glared at him. "We're goin' to find Wellington. Right, Clem?" he asked stubbornly.

"Wellington?" Jane frowned.

"Kenny, it's freezing up here, man..." Mike pointed out. "It's only gonna get worse..." added Jane.

"We came this far. We're NOT goin' back!" Kenny insisted.

"Nah, man. This is fuckin' nuts." Mike disagreed.

Nick scowled as he crossed his arms. "I already told you. Wellington sounds like a pile of bullshit."

"Kenny, this is bullshit. Wellington could be just a rumor." I objected.

"Guys, we don't have to leave right now." Clem pointed out. "Let's just sleep on it."

"That sounds sensible..." Bonnie agreed. Emily nodded. "It's a lot better than standing out here arguing all night..."

"Dammit, we don't have time!" Kenny groaned.

Jane scoffed. "Says you." she said, earning a glare from the man. "Look, I don't give two shits about what you people think._ I_ got these cars workin', so_ I _say where we go, and we're headin fuckin' north. It's the best chance we got of helping AJ." he insisted with a scowl.

I frowned and placed a hand on my hip. Who declared him the leader?

"What about Arvo?" Mike questioned, earning yet another scowl from Kenny. "Who? Oh, the Ruskie?!" he spat out. "Yeah, he ain't comin' with us."

"You're just gonna leave him here?!" Mike asked incredulously.

"I don't give a good goddamn where he goes! He's done with us." the bearded man growled.

"He could die!"

"Better him than another one of us!"

"Kenny, he's just a kid!" Luke objected.

"I don't give a damn! He is NOT coming."

"I don't want him anywhere near me after what happened to Shel..." Becca growled out as she crossed her arms. "I say we leave him here."

Mike looked at her with shock. "You too, Becca?!"

"We should ask him what he wants." Clementine piped up, gaining our attention. "Well, there's a concept." Jane remarked.

"Arvo knows the area. He can help us." Mike insisted.

"And get more of us killed?" Chase countered. "Yeah, I don't think so."

"I... I don't think we should leave him behind..." Sarah muttered.

"Some help he's been. He got Shel killed." Kenny growled. Becca flinched at the mention of her sister. "I ain't gonna say he helped the situation, but maybe if you eased up on him before, he wouldn't have run away in the first place. You ever think about that, Kenny?" Mike frowned.

I crossed my arms. "I don't know about you all, but I don't think we should bring him with us. We can't trust him, not after what's happened..." I frowned.

"Either way, I'm not going anywhere in the middle of the night."

Mike crossed his arms. "Me either. There could be a herd out there."

Kenny stormed over to the other man. "You want that child's blood on your hands, Mike?!"

"We'll all die out here if you don't calm down!"

"Haven't we been through enough today?!" Tess snapped. Kenny shook his head and growled. "You remember the last time we had a working vehicle and sat around on our asses, Clem?"

Jane sighed, shaking her head as she turned on her heel. "I'm going inside, guys..."

I then looked back at Kenny. "Listen, we should all decided on where we go, not you!"

Kenny clenched his fists before getting inside the truck, slamming the door shut. "GODDAMMIT!"

"Kenny, you can't just walk away from us!" Emily objected, but the man didn't listen. Tess sighed and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Come on, Em... Let's go back inside..."

I scowled at Kenny before turning on my heel. I glanced back at Clementine. "Clem... You think you can try to talk some sense into him?"

"I... I think." Clem nodded.

"Good... You be careful." I warned before I headed up the steps. Honestly, who the hell does Kenny think he is telling us where to go?! There's no way I'm heading back to Howe's, but I ain't gonna risk heading to a place that might not exist!

I shook my head, getting rid of the anger as I stepped inside. Entering the living room, I heard Nick grumbling, "Who the hell does he think he is bossing us around?!"

"We'll deal with it in the morning, Nick..." Tess yawned as she and Nick headed somewhere to sleep.

Shaking my head, I walked past the tied up Arvo and sat next to Dylan with my guitar on my other side. Dylan let out a sigh. "I can't believe it's come to this..." he muttered. "Let's just hope Clem can get through that thick skull of his..." I grumbled.

"She and Emily have known him for a long time, so they might be able to." Dylan told me as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Where do you think we should go?" Dylan asked me.

I stiffened, taken aback by the question. "W-Well, we sure as hell shouldn't go back to Howe's... You know what happened down there..."

Dylan nodded. "Maybe in the morning we can discuss it together..."

I nodded. "That sounds reasonable." I agreed. As the two of us got comfy, Dylan planted a kiss on my forehead. "Goodnight, Anne..." he whispered while I rested my head on his chest.

"Goodnight..." I muttered back as I felt my eyes start to droop. We should all sleep on it...

Yeah... We could discuss where to go tomorrow... Right now...

We just needed sleep. All of us.

* * *

**Hey, everybody! This chapter is my Christmas gift to all of you who read this story. I hope you enjoyed it! I'd once again like to thank you all for all the support. Happy holidays, everyone! May God watch over you all. Merry Christmas! **


	33. Boiling Point

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

**BANG!**

I jerked awake at the noise. WHAT THE-?!

Dylan bolted up, his eyes wide with shock. "What the hell?!" he exclaimed with shock.

Nick rushed out of a room with a wide eyed look. "What the fuck was that?!"

I scrambled to my feet as I quickly grabbed my gun. Walkers?! Another attack?! Rushing to the back door, I threw it open and my blood ran cold. I saw Clementine lying on the ground... with a pool of blood slowly surrounding her. No... No, no, no! NO!

"CLEMENTINE!" I screamed.

Mike was standing over her with a look of shock. I could see Arvo by the truck holding a shotgun... which had been aimed where Clementine was standing. "I-I'm sorry, Clementine! I didn't mean for this to happen!" Mike tried to say, then looked back at the Russian teenager. "Arvo, why'd you do that?!"

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!" I roared as I rushed out with Kenny, Sarah, Jane, and Luke. "Oh my God! Clem!" Luke gasped. "NO!" Sarah cried out. Mike and Arvo immediately darted away from us and the vehicles and tried to make a run for it.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU SONS OF BITCHES!" Kenny screamed. "YOU FUCKERS! HOW DARE YOU!"

"KENNY! Shut up and help us get Clementine!" Jane snapped. Kenny looked back at us with the fury towards the two traitors still in his working eye, but reluctantly complied. I picked up Clementine with the help of Luke and we rushed her inside. Clem had already passed out. "You're gonna be okay, Clem! Y-You're gonna be okay!" I assure the unconscious girl. Emily stepped out of her room. "What was that gunshot- OH MY GOD! CLEMENTINE!" she exclaimed.

"Oh shit! What the hell happened?!" Dylan asked as he helped Luke and I set Clementine down. Luke started to put pressure on Clementine's wound with a cloth to stop the bleeding while the rest of what remained of the group came to ask what the commotion was about. They were shocked to see Clementine with a bullet wound.

"Mike and that Russian fucker betrayed us, that's what!" Kenny snapped. Bonnie gasped. "What?! Mike and Arvo left us?!" she choked out. Kenny whirled around and glared at her. "Yes, they left us! And look what they tried to get away with!" he growled as he threw something down on the ground. It was a bag of supplies... OUR supplies. They were gonna leave us with nothing?! What the hell!

"They were gonna steal from us?!" I exclaimed with shock and anger evident in my voice.

"I... I can't believe they'd do that!" Sarah shook her head.

The bearded man clenched his fists as he stormed around. "I swear, when I get my hands on those fuckers, I'll-!" Kenny began, but I angrily cut him off. "Kenny! Clem is bleeding out here! Help us!" I snapped. "We need to get her warm!"

Jane headed over to the fireplace and tried to make another fire with the nail file and a flint. "Come on... come on..." I heard her mutter.

"What the fuck are you waiting for?!" Kenny snapped.

"I'm trying to get the damn fire started!" Jane shot back.

Kenny scowled. "Well, try harder!"

"I am!"

I was starting to get a headache from all of this. Becca finally growled and got to her feet. "You know what? Gimme that." she snapped as she grabbed the flint and nail file as she tried to start the fire. "Come on... start!"

After a few more seconds, Jane shook her head. "It's no use... the wood's burnt out..." she said grimly.

"Then go out there and get more firewood!" Kenny snapped, but I retorted, "Kenny, there isn't any time! We need to get Clementine warmed up now or she'll fuckin' freeze!"

Kenny whirled around and glared at me. "Well, what do you suggest, Bandana?!" he retorted. I glared at him for the nickname, but I actually didn't know what to do now...

Tess suddenly spoke up. "We could use the cars... They could warm her up..."

We all turned our heads towards the pregnant woman. "What'd you say?" Kenny questioned. "I said we could use the cars to warm her up!" Tess repeated herself. The man scowled, obviously not liking the plan. "That'll use up gas! We NEED that gas to get us to Wellington!" he snapped. Tess clenched her fists, holding one hand over her bulging belly. "YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT?!" she finally snapped at him. "Which do you prefer?! Having Clem freeze to death and bleed out or getting to 'Wellington'?!" Luke agreed.

For once, Kenny was finally silent. I just stayed quiet as I helped Luke put pressure on Clem's wound. The blood flowing out of the wound seemed to slow down. Jane walked over to us and knelt down to her. "Let me see her..." she told us. Luke and I moved away for her as Jane checked Clementine's bullet wound. After a moment, she looked up at us. "I can't find the bullet. It must have gone clean through." she theorized.

"At least we don't have to worry about getting that bullet out..." Luke muttered with a sigh of relief.

Kenny looked out the windows at the truck and the van. "Alright, I'll drive the truck. We gotta decide who the hell's going into which vehicle. The van can hold about nine of us total. I think the truck can hold about five."

"Tess can go in the van." Emily said immediately. "She needs the space."

"If Tess is going into that van, then I am too." Nick said.

Chase crossed his arms. "Well, I'm heading in the van. Don't wanna risk getting crowded in that truck."

Bonnie sighed and folded her arms over her chest. "I'll go in the van..." she muttered, probably still shocked that Mike left us. Luke walked over to us. "I'll get in the van. Kenny, you make sure Clem is safe." he told the older man.

"You bet your ass I will." Kenny replied. Chase and Dylan threw in a bag of our supplies into the van as Dylan looked over his shoulder at me. "I'll be in the van. What about you?" he questioned.

I crossed my arms as I thought about this. "I think I should go with Kenny and Clem..." I answered. He nodded and grasped my hand gently. "Be careful. We'll keep up with you guys." he told me. Chase then looked over at Becca and asked the girl, "What about you?"

Becca was silent. She was just staring blankly down at the ground. "Becca?" Tess tried again. This caused the teenager to snap out of it and look up at us with a slight frown etched on her face. "What?" she muttered.

"Which do you wanna go into? The truck or the van?" I asked. Becca crossed her arms and looked back down at the snowy ground. "Van, I guess..." she mumbled softly, but we could hear her answer. Sarah headed over to the van, shivering slightly from the cold. "I-I'll go with Luke and the others..." she shivered. Jane crossed her arms, leaning against the truck. "I'm heading with Kenny and Clementine." she announced. Kenny, however, didn't seem too pleased at this.

"AJ's comin' with Clem and I." he said immediately.

"Kenny, we can hold onto him-" Emily tried to volunteer, but Kenny cut her off. "AJ's coming with me and that's _final_!" he insisted. "Now come on! We need to get moving!"

I hopped into the truck with Jane and Kenny and climbed into the back to keep an eye on Clementine, in case she woke up or...

Jane held onto AJ as she sat in the passengers seat. Kenny climbed into the drivers seat as I saw the others climb into the van. Luke and Kenny started up the vehicles and I felt the warmth kick in. Kenny poked his head out the window. "Ready?" he called.

Luke gave a wave, signaling they were ready to go as well. Kenny then slammed his foot on the accelerator and we took off, leaving behind the unfinished house.

* * *

The sky had grown brighter now, and Kenny was still driving on. I had no idea how long he's been driving now. I'd have to say it was about a few hours. AJ was still sound asleep in Jane's arms, and Clementine still hadn't woken up. I was starting to get worried now...

The van was still behind us, following wherever the hell Kenny was driving to.

The truck suddenly jerked to the side, making me hit my head on the window. "Ow!" I groaned out, rubbing the side of my head. "Easy!"

"Damn it, Kenny! Be careful!" Jane snapped.

"I AM being careful!" Kenny retorted as he drove, avoiding a snow pile. I held onto my seat as he swerved the truck. "At least let the others catch up to us!" I snapped.

"They'll be fine!" he said to me, keeping his undamaged eye on the road.

"Well, maybe if you stopped driving like a lunatic, they'd catch up quicker!" Jane told him.

"We have to keep moving!" Kenny growled.

I felt the truck swerve again as it slipped on the icy road a bit. "On the left!" Jane warned. Kenny jerked the steering wheel around. "Hey, slow down!" she added. Kenny glared at her with his undamaged eye. "Shut up!" he ordered. "I know what I'm doing!"

"No, you don't!" Jane rebuffed.

My eye twitched as the two bickered. Will they ever stop?!

I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, noticing Clem move a little. Slowly, her eyes cracked open. I gasped seeing this. "Guys, she's awake!"

Clem slowly sat up, groaning slightly. Jane smiled with relief. "Hey, you..." she greeted.

"Oh, thank God!" Kenny sighed. Clementine cringed a bit. "W-What happened?" she inquired. I saw Kenny immediately scowl in the rearview mirror. "That piece of shit Russkie shot you." he answered. "We had to run the truck to keep you warm." I added. "How do you feel?"

Clementine winced and moved her shoulder a bit. "It hurts..."

"We couldn't find the bullet. Must've gone clean through. It'll burn a while, but you'll be fine." Jane told her.

"Those sons of bitches. I mean, I expected it from the Russian, but _Mike_? I could tell they were working on something..." Kenny grumbled. "I didn't think they would go that far..." Jane mumbled. "Yeah, well, who would steal our food then shoot a kid? We never should have thrown in with trash like that in the first place..." the older man muttered.

"I can't believe they did that..." Clem said with a sad look on her face. Jane looked over her shoulder back at the younger girl. "I don't think they knew what they were doing except trying to get away."

"Yeah, they're gone now. Good fuckin' riddance." Kenny grumbled. Clementine looked around the truck out the windows. "Wait, where are the others?!" she asked. I jabbed my thumb towards the back window. She looked out back, seeing the van following us. "They're in that van. They've been following us ever since we left that house." I told her. Jane then averted her attention over to the man behind the wheel. "Now that Clem's awake, we need to discuss where we're going." she said, narrowing her eyes.

"We're headed north." Kenny replied immediately.

Jane knitted her eyebrows together. "What, to find 'Wellington'?" she asked with sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Kenny scowled. "You know, you sure talk a lotta shit. But you got a better plan?"

"We head south, back to Howe's." Jane answered. I frowned hearing that plan. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, seriously?!" I asked, leaning my arm against the seats. "Back to Carver's camp? The fuck kinda plan is that?!" Kenny scoffed.

"I think Bonnie and Tess said that there was more formula back there. AND we actually know where that place is." Jane told him.

"You're forgetting that place was overrun by a damn herd!" he shot back.

"The walkers should be gone by now." Jane reasoned.

"But it's miles in the other direction!" Kenny retorted. "I ain't driving us back to a place that got overrun by a goddamn herd of walkers that could still be there!"

I rubbed my throbbing temple, feeling a headache coming on. "For the love of god, stop arguing!"

"I don't care where we go, but like Anne said, please stop arguing." Clem told them as she gripped her wounded shoulder.

"She's the one that's goin' off!" the man accused, almost childishly. "Because you won't listen to a thing I'm saying!" Jane told him. Kenny simply looked over at her. "Oh, what's that? You're talkin' into my bad ear, sweetheart!" he said rather loudly and sarcastically. Jane narrowed her eyes and turned her attention back to the road. "Jackass..." she muttered.

Kenny waved his hand dismissively. "Aw, I still can't hear ya!"

I groaned and banged my head on the back of Kenny's seat. God, they're acting like children! "Have they been acting like this the whole time?" Clem questioned me. I looked at her with my visible eye. "Unfortunately, yes. And I had to hear ALL of it." I grumbled.

"Look, even if there IS someplace up here, it could take us weeks to find it. We could get back to Howe's in a day." Jane reasoned. "You wanna take that risk?"

"Tell ya what. We can turn around just as soon as you pry this wheel from my cold, dead fingers." Kenny spat. The short haired woman sighed and shook her head, muttering, "Whatever. I give up."

She then rested her foot atop the dashboard, which was almost immediately shoved off by Kenny. "Get your feet off the dash." he ordered as he kept his eyes- er, EYE on the road. Jane scowled before I saw a smirk creep up on her face. Then she turned to look back at us. "Let's play a game, Clem, Anne." she said mischievously. "I spy with my little eye-" She paused to scowl at Kenny. "An ASSHOLE. Your turn." she said in a singsong tone, smirking at the man.

Oh, for the love of...!

"Grow up." Kenny growled.

"Go to hell." Jane retorted.

"I'll pull this fuckin' car over."

"Go ahead."

"You wanna die out here?"

"Better than waiting to die next to you."

"Alright, then!"

I was starting to lose my patience. "Will you two just shut up?! You're acting like kids!" I snapped. "Me?!" Kenny asked incredulously. "I couldn't see the damn road!"

"Bet you're having trouble seeing a lot of things these days." Jane frowned.

"You shut your fuckin' mouth. I am DONE playing games with you, Jane." Kenny growled as he drove the truck. Jane scowled at him. "Fuck you. You don't know a damn thing about me."

"Oh, I know _exactly_ what you are. Nothing. Nobody cares about you, and you don't care about nobody but yourself. That makes you nothing." Kenny sneered.

Jane scowled hearing this. "What is it with you?! It's your family, right?"

I saw Kenny stiffen. "Don't you dare." he seethed.

"It is, isn't it?" Jane pressed on. "Jane, don't push him." I warned. Jane ignored me. "You're just another type-A asshole trying to save a bunch of dead people!" she accused.

"Jane, stop!" Clem tried.

"Just keep your eyes on the road!" I told them. "You stay out of this, kid!" Kenny snapped at me. I frowned and was about to retort, but I looked back through the back window, seeing that it was getting harder to see the van, but I could tell it was starting to get further away from us. "Kenny, slow down!" I called to him. "The others are still behind us!"

"They'll catch up! Now, you two stay out of this! You listen to me, Jane. You talk about my family one more time and I will fuckin' end you!" Kenny threatened.

"God, I am so sick of your wounded warrior crap! Just pull the truck over, I can't take this!" Jane sighed.

Kenny scoffed. "Running away again, are we? What a fucking shocker!" he spat sarcastically. "In the end, still only care about yourself, right?!"

"And where were you when Sarita died, Kenny?" Jane asked with a frown. I could SWEAR the temperature dropped even more at these words. "Huh? Where were you?! When she was bit, where were you?!" Jane pressed on. Is she pushing him?!

"Jane, don't-" I warned with a frown.

"I was there! I couldn't... goddamn you. I loved that woman!" Kenny exclaimed.

"Who could love _you_?!" Jane scoffed. "Look at you, you can't raise this kid! Look! It's scared to death of you!"

Kenny glared at her, momentarily taking his eye off the road. "I got this way savin' your ass from that hellhole of a camp! And I would've left you to fuckin' rot if I'd known just what you were!"

"It's nobody's fault!" I snapped at them. Jane glared at Kenny while she held Alvin Jr. in her arms. "You know the thing about people like you, Kenny? You're just a bomb waiting to go off. Everyone talks about you behind your back because they're afraid of you!" she told him.

Is she trying to set him off?!

"That. Ain't. True!" Kenny hissed.

Jane went on. "Mike. _Sarita._"

"You fuckin' liar, that ain't true!" the man growled as he pressed his foot down on the accelerator a bit. The van with the others in it were now barely visible, just almost a dot in the distance. "Guys, stop!" I exclaimed, but my call to them fell on deaf ears as Jane continued to badger him. "Everyone around you knows that sooner or later, they're gonna end up dead! Sarita knew it, I know it, Anne knows it, and so does Clementine!" she yelled. My eye widened at this. I could practically see a vein pulsing out of Kenny's forehead.

The bearded man finally took his eye off the road and glared at Jane with fury. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TALK ABOUT MY FAMILY!"

"FUCK YOU!" Jane growled.

"YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!" he roared.

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!" I finally screamed at them.

Clementine seemed to noticed something up ahead in front of us. "LOOK OUT!" she exclaimed. Kenny diverted his angry glare from Jane and saw whatever was in front of us. "HOLY SHIT!" he exclaimed as he swerved the truck over, making me bang my head on the window for the second time. I cringed and held my head, which throbbed a bit on the side as Kenny stopped the truck. "You okay? Is AJ okay?!" Kenny asked.

"He's alright." Jane replied.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Kenny looked through the mirror back at us. "Clem, you alright?" he asked. Clementine winced and moved her shoulder a bit. "Yeah..." she replied to him. "What about Anne? You okay?"

I rubbed my head as I glanced at her. "Despite hitting my head again, I'm alright..." I winced. Kenny glanced out the front window, seeing several abandoned cars ahead of us. "Go around those." Jane told him, but Kenny shook his head. "One of 'em might have diesel."

"We shouldn't stop here-" Jane tried. "We're running on fumes here. And with the others possibly ahead of us, we got no choice." Kenny retorted as he opened up the door. "When I holler it's okay, drive up there closer. If anything happens, I'll try to meet y'all there." he told us as he pointed at a rest stop sign pointing to a direction.

"Kenny, I'll go with-" Clementine tried to say, but Kenny already stepped out and closed the door, leaving us behind in the truck as he trudged through the snow towards the trucks. Clem climbed up to the driver's seat while I stayed in the back. "That fucking asshole..." Jane grumbled, shaking her head. "I can't do this anymore."

"You shouldn't have said all that to him." I frowned.

Jane glanced at me. "He's losing it, Anne!"

"But all that shit you said back there was uncalled for!" I snapped.

"It was true!"

"Quit being such a bitch!"

"Both of you stop!" Clementine exclaimed. I glanced at Clem before I sighed. "Sorry..."

"Clem... We could leave. Right now." Jane suddenly suggested. I frowned hearing her suggestion. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. No way. Are you serious?! Fuck that."

"But what about AJ?" Clem asked. Jane sighed and shook her head. "Look, I know you're close to him, but there's no way Kenny would ever let him go. This is our chance, Clem. Don't you wanna know what it's like living your own life?" she asked. I shook my head with a scowl. "What the fuck, Jane?!"

"He's a danger to all of us, Anne! Look at what he did to Arvo! He might do the same to us! You saw he was about to blow back there!" the short haired woman said to me. "We might be next if he loses it again. You want that to happen?"

Ugh, this is just like when she tried to make us leave Sarah behind!

"You know what, Jane? You-"

A sudden gunshot interrupted my argument with Jane. All three of us went silent as two more gunshots were heard. Oh shit, what now?! I leaned against the seat as I peered through the front window, seeing a figure. Kenny...? Wait... Kenny wasn't limping when he got out. I gasped, realizing what the silhouettes in the distance were. "Walkers!" I hissed, then I noticed something very bad. "What the... Shouldn't they be frozen by now?!"

"But it's snowing! Why are they still moving?!" Clem asked.

"They must not be cold enough to freeze yet... Ah, fuck." Jane hissed, shaking her head. Then, before either of us could react, Jane lurched forward and turned the keys, starting up the truck and shifting the gears. "What the hell?!" I asked. "Get us out of here!" she exclaimed as she held onto a fussy AJ. "What?! I don't know how to drive!" Clementine pointed out. Jane gestured to a pedal near Clem's foot. "You see that pedal on the floor? STEP ON IT!" she told her.

I shook my head. "Jane, are you fucking crazy?! Move over, let me-" I began, but Clem had already slammed her foot on the accelerator, causing the truck to speed forward and throw me back into the back seat, making me grunt at the impact. The car rammed into two walkers, knocking them to the side as Clem tried to drive the truck. I clung onto the driver's seat, holding on as the truck swerved a bit. I glanced ahead and saw something in front of us. "FUCK!" I screamed as Clem crashed into a walker and it went through the windshield. We all edged away from it as far as we could while Clem crashed the truck into a snow pile. The walker thrashed around, snapping its jaws as it tried to reach us to sink its rotten teeth into our flesh. Jane held AJ away from the walker, keeping him safe. I pressed my back against the backseat as I tried to stay out of arm's reach of it. Clementine was doing the same as she scooted as far away from the walker as the front seat would allow her. Jane quickly got out of the passenger's side with AJ in her arms. "Fuck, come on, you two! Get outta there!" she called.

Clem tried to open the drivers side, but snow was blocking it. "It's stuck!" she yelled. Clementine then drew her gun and shot the walker in the head, making the snarls cease immediately as the corpse fell limp. Jane was backing away as she saw something. "Shit, there's more coming! Clem, Anne, you gotta move!" the woman warned before hurriedly trudging off in the snow. Clementine looked back at me with a worried look. "Come on!" she exclaimed as she climbed out. I heard another bang as Clem shot another walker. I quickly grabbed my guitar and slung it over my shoulder as I made my way to the front. I ended up accidentally cutting my arm on a piece of broken glass before pulling myself out. I landed on the snow, hearing it crunch beneath me as I cringed in pain. The neck of my guitar banged against the back of my head. My arm fell onto the snow, causing the white substance to be stained a bit with the blood from my cut. Ah, fuck, it hurts!

Shakily, I pushed myself off the snowy ground, clutching my wound. "Ah! Shit..." I hissed. My bandana had come loose and had fallen off, but I quickly picked it up and shoved it into my pocket. I didn't have any time to put the thing on. I placed pressure to my cut as I glanced around. "Clem?! Jane?!" I called, glancing around through the snowstorm. I couldn't see any trace of Clementine, Jane, or AJ. "Guys?!" I tried again, but the only answer I received was the roar of the wind. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm. I quickly glanced over my shoulder, seeing about two walkers staggering around in the distance. I looked back forward and started to move away from the truck, shielding my face from the blowing snow.

Kenny said if anything happened, meet by that rest stop... it's gotta be around here somewhere.

I started trudging through the deep snow, shivering on each step.

I gotta get to them... I'm coming, you guys...


	34. No Rest for Anyone

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart both belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

**Okay, this decision was hard for me to make, but I've got it planned out now. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

Feeling the freezing and rapidly blowing snow hit my skin, I shivered as I trudged on through the blizzard. I held onto my Glock 17, squinting as I struggled to see through the snowflakes that kept falling on my eyelashes.

Brr... so fucking cold... gotta keep moving...

"Clem...?" I called out, glancing around. "Kenny? AJ? Jane?"

My hands felt numb from the cold. The cut I got from the glass shard still bled a bit, making me wince. I could barely see a thing through this damn snowstorm... but I could see the silhouette of a walker and hear its groans and snarls.

Through the thick snowflakes, I could see one stumbling near me. I don't think it saw me, but I wasn't gonna take that chance. The wind was loud, so it could muffle the gunshot. I aimed at the groaning walking corpse and pulled the trigger. Like I thought, the gunshot was muffled by the sound of the roaring wind and the walker immediately collapsed dead on the cold, hard ground. I stumbled away from it after that. I had to keep moving.

The wind blew back my hair and bangs as I tried to trudge through the blizzard, stinging my face. I could see a few more silhouettes of walkers around me. Fuck... if I shoot one of them, it's bound to attract the other couple of walkers.

Quietly shivering, I trudged my way forward, hoping the walkers wouldn't see me. Thankfully, neither of them did as I passed them. They just staggered on through the cold.

I then tripped on my feet and fell flat on my stomach. I gasped in surprised, then cringed as I pushed myself up, feeling my wounded arm scream in pain. Once I regained my footing, I kept moving forward. It seemed like the wind was trying to force me back, but I wasn't gonna let that stop me. I could see several trees ahead of me and made a turn to the right, hoping to get to my destination.

I shielded my face from the blowing snow, trying to protect it. I ended up tripping again, this time on a root. I cringed as I landed on my wounded arm. The neck of my guitar banged against the back of my head as well. "Shit!" I winced while pushing myself back up to my feet, trying to ignore the pain.

When I looked back up, I could see something in the distance. It had four pillars supporting it, as well as a few picnic tables under the structure. It must be a pavilion of some kind that people hung out at before everything happened.

Shivering, I stumbled forward under the pavilion past the snow covered picnic tables. The snow crunched beneath me as I kept stumbling forward, being able to make out some things around me through the thick snow, such as some tires, a swing, a see-saw, and a slide. Up ahead of me was a small building. It must be the rest stop Kenny was talking about! Oh, thank God!

I put my gun away and headed towards the building. I then entered, hoping they'd be inside.

* * *

Once I was inside, I could no longer feel the snow hitting my skin, but man, was I cold! I shivered and rubbed my arms to try and warm myself up. "F-F-Fuckin' shit..." I choked out.

"Anne!" I heard a familiar voice exclaim. I looked to my left and saw Clementine rushing over to me with Kenny. "You okay?! There's blood on your arm!"

"You weren't bit, were you?" Kenny asked, narrowing his working eye while slowly approaching me.

"No, I cut my arm on some glass! I swear!" I answered as I pulled my hand away from my wound. Kenny grabbed my arm before I could protest and rolled up the sleeve, examining the cut on my arm. "Definitely don't look like a bite... it would have teeth marks." he observed. "We'll get that treated later. But... wait, where's AJ?! He's not with you?!"

I shook my head. "No!"

"He's with Jane." I answered, trying to warm myself up.

"What?! You two left him with her?!" he exclaimed, his eye wide as he rushed outside. "JANE?!" he called. "JANE!"

I heard Clem gasp. I looked over my shoulder to see her looking at the entrance. In the distance, I could see a figure slowly approaching the rest stop. Once it got closer, we recognized who it was. "Jane!" I exclaimed.

Kenny rushed back inside as Jane came inside with her arms wrapped around herself. But... WHERE'S AJ?!

"You okay?! Where's the kid?!" Kenny asked.

"Jane... where is AJ?!" I demanded. Jane looked away from us with a devastated look on her face. "He's..." she choked out.

Kenny's undamaged eye widened and his jaw dropped. "What... what're you sayin'?"

His answer was silence from Jane. I gasped. No... not AJ... he can't be!

Realization hit Kenny as a shocked, devastated expression was etched on his face. "No... NO!" he yelled as he rushed outside of the rest stop. Clem started to tear up. "N-No... Not again... Not again..." she whimpered.

Time seemed to stand still as I fell to my knees and gazed at Jane with shock. AJ's... dead?! No... no, no, no!

I finally regained my senses and clenched my fists. "What did you do...?" I growled at Jane, glaring up at her. The woman looked over her shoulder before kneeling down to Clem's height and holding her shoulders. "Clem, look at me. No matter what happens, just stay out of it." she warned. "Okay?"

"Stay out of what?!" Clem asked. Jane worriedly looked over her shoulder in the direction Kenny ran before looking back at her. "You have to trust me. You're gonna see what he really is." she told her.

I clenched my fists as I got up and grabbed Jane by the front of her jacket. "What the fuck did you do?!" I demanded. "How the fuck could you let this happen?!"

Jane pushed me off her. Her expression was one I had never seen on her face before. It was one of nervousness. "Anne, you and Clem HAVE to stay out of this." she repeated, glancing back at where Kenny had run off to. "Just... Just keep Clem out of this."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I spat as I glared at her furiously with both eyes. "Start making sense, damn it!"

She was about to say something, but cut herself off as we saw a figure in the distance. Once it became clearer, we saw that it was Kenny storming towards us. And he. Looked. _Furious_.

Clem gasped and stood front of him, holding her arms out as Jane slowly backed away. "Kenny, calm down... don't do anything stupid!" she tried.

"Get out of my way." he muttered darkly as he shoved her to the side, storming to Jane. "How could you kill a FUCKING CHILD?!" Kenny roared as he swung a fist at the woman. Jane quickly ducked, pulling out her knife from its sheath. "I didn't kill him! It was an accident, Kenny!" Jane told him.

"BULLSHIT!" Kenny exclaimed with fury. The look in his working eye was almost frightening. He looked... murderous.

"I won't back down from you, Kenny!" Jane warned.

"JUST SHUT UP!" Kenny snarled.

"Guys, come on! We can't kill each other! We might be all that's left of the group!" Clem tried to reason. Kenny kept his undamaged eye on Jane. "Stay outta this, Clem." he ignored. Jane glared at the bearded man and slowly sheathed her knife. "Don't you come near me, you son of a bitch." she warned. As soon as she let go of her knife, Kenny rushed forward and grabbed her, slamming her against the glass door. "KENNY!" Clementine screamed. Kenny held his arm against Jane's throat as she struggled, trying to shove his head away. "Get... the fuck... OFF!" she exclaimed, managing to shove Kenny's hat and eye bandages off his head. "Fuck you!" Kenny spat before grabbing one of her arms to restrain her.

I clenched my fists and shook my head. "Damn it, STOP FIGHTING!" I yelled as I rushed forward and grabbed Kenny's arm to try and pull him away. I ended up getting his elbow to my face. "GAH!" I exclaimed as I fell onto my back, clutching my nose which felt even more numb now. Jane suddenly punched Kenny in the face, knocking him down onto his back. Kenny guarded his face with his arms as Jane punched them. "Asshole!" she spat.

"You're fuckin' dead!" Kenny growled. Clementine grabbed Jane's arm and forcefully pulled her away from Kenny. The man used this opportunity to lunge at Jane, but the short haired woman quickly reacted by pulling out her knife and slashing him across his stomach, drawing a bit of blood. "AAAH!" Kenny roared in pain as he doubled over holding his new wound.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed with shock. Jane hopped up to her feet. "This is all your fucking fault!" she screamed as she ran after Kenny, who had stumbled out the door into the snowstorm. Clem quickly helped me up and we both darted outside after the two as I set my guitar down at the entrance. "You piece of shit!" Kenny growled at Jane, who held her knife at her side. Clem and I quickly got in between them, trying to stop them. I stood in front of Kenny while Clementine stood in front of Jane.

"Fuckin' psycho!" Jane spat.

"THIS IS ON YOU!" Kenny roared. Clem tried to push Jane back. "Go! Run!"

The woman simply shook her head, keeping her glare on Kenny. "Not happening." she growled. I tried to push Kenny back. "Kenny, you don't have to do this shit! Just stop!" I tried. "Out of the way, Cyclops!" he ordered. My eyes widened hearing the insult and I was about to yell at him, but he shoved me to the side, causing me to land on my injured arm. "GAH!" I yelled in pain. I heard another thud and saw that Jane had shoved Clementine to the side. Jane then slashed at Kenny with her knife, but the man grabbed her and they both crashed into a sign, pulling it straight out of the ground. "I'll fuckin' kill you!" Kenny spat as he rolled over to push himself up. I saw him try to reach for Jane's knife on the ground, but Jane stopped him by grabbing his head and digging her nails into the area around Kenny's damaged eye. "ARRRRRGGGGGGH!" Kenny roared in pain.

"How's that fuckin' feel, huh?!" Jane spat as she kept hurting his damaged eye, making him thrash around in pain.

"Stop! It's over, you two!" Clementine exclaimed. However, her cry fell on deaf ears. "DAMN IT, LISTEN TO US!" I screamed.

"GET HER OFF ME!" Kenny screamed in pain. Together, Clem and I grabbed Jane and forcefully pulled her off the man. "Just stop!" I exclaimed. Suddenly, Kenny grabbed Jane's knife and stabbed her in the leg, making her scream in pain as she accidentally knocked Clem onto her wounded shoulder. "CLEM!" I gasped before I tried to subdue Kenny, but he was stronger than me. "Get the fuck off me!" he growled as I struggled to pull him back. Jane suddenly hopped up and punched Kenny in the face as she tried to pry the knife away from his hands. "Take Clem and get out of here!" Jane yelled at me. I gripped Kenny's right arm tightly and pulled as hard as I could. "JUST FUCKING STOP!" I screamed at the two as I tried to stop Kenny, but before I could react, he grabbed me and shoved me to the side, causing me to land on my injured arm and tumble a few feet away from them. "ARGH!"

I shut my eyes tightly in pain as I gripped my arm, feeling more blood slowly pour out of it. Gritting my teeth, I slowly opened my eyes as my ears were ringing. My vision was blurry as I tried to see what was happening. I turned my head to the side, seeing Kenny pin Jane down and tried to shove Jane's own knife into her chest. The woman tried to shove the knife away from her. "I'll fuckin' kill you!" Kenny roared.

"I... knew you would!" Jane growled, struggling to push him off her.

"Just fucking die!"

As my vision slowly cleared, I saw Clementine aiming a gun at Kenny with tears streaming down her face. "Please... please stop...!" she choked out. I tried to push myself off the ground, slowly regaining my senses, but my arm screamed in protest and I collapsed back down, cringing.

"Clem... help..." Jane weakly pleaded.

Is... is she gonna shoot him...?!

Clem's arm trembled and much to my surprise and shock, lowered the gun and looked away. I tried to push myself up, but I was too late, as Kenny had shoved the knife into Jane's chest. Jane grunted in pain before going limp. I gasped and my jaw dropped in horror. Kenny panted and fell onto his back, clutching his face. "K-Kenny...!" Clem whimpered as she got up and slowly approached the man. "AJ's gone, Clem..." Kenny panted. I could no longer hear any anger or malice in his voice. I managed to sit up and slowly push myself up to my feet, cringing as I did. Gah... I think I twisted my ankle...

"How could she do that...?" Kenny asked softly. "He's gone... he's gone..."

I shakily knelt down to Jane to check her pulse. There was none. My eyes widened as I shakily pulled my fingers away. "She's... she's dead..." I shakily told them. "You didn't have to kill her, Kenny!" Clementine exclaimed.

Kenny looked away from us. "I'm sorry, darlin'... but I did..." Kenny said with remorse. I felt sick seeing Jane's lifeless body on the ground with her knife sticking out of her chest. I cringed and looked away, grabbing my guitar and slinging it onto its usual spot on my back. Kenny straight up MURDERED Jane...

A distant wail pulled me out of my thoughts. "Shh! Y-You hear that?" Clem asked. All three of us remained silent with only the wind making a sound as the snowstorm slowly died down. A moment later, I could hear a wail... an infant's wail...

Wait...

Clementine gasped, putting her gun away and immediately running to the direction of the wailing. Kenny put his hat and bandages on and ran after her. I limped after them, cringing on each step as I held my injured arm. When I reached the two, I saw them by an abandoned car. Clementine held something in her arms... and it was wailing...

It was AJ!

I held a hand to my mouth and gasped seeing the infant in Clem's arms. Alvin Jr.'s alive! "Oh, thank god!" I gasped with relief.

"AJ! Let me see him." Kenny requested. Clementine immediately handed him the baby and as soon as he was in his arms, Kenny cradled AJ with relief. "I thought we lost you, buddy..."

"Jane didn't have to die..." I choked out.

"I'm sorry... I... I thought she killed him..." Kenny whispered as he looked down at Alvin Jr. with shock. I then looked back at the car, then back at AJ. "She left him alone in there?! He coulda froze to death!" I gasped with shock. AJ started to whine again. "Shh, shh... it's alright, buddy..." Kenny told him gently as he handed him to me. He then looked at the both of us. "Listen, you two. I didn't want that to happen, either. I thought that she killed Alvie... and at any point, she coulda stopped what was happening and told us that he was okay. She _wanted _a fight. I'd never, EVER hurt you, Clem. You understand? I was protecting you. You believe me, right? Just imagining what she did to Alvie... everything just went black... by the time I got my head straight... it was too late."

"You're right, it was too late... look at what you've done..." I muttered as I looked down. I could have stopped him... but I couldn't...

"I didn't want that to happen, Anne..." he told me.

"I... I believe you, Kenny." Clementine answered.

"Okay... thanks..." Kenny told her. He then knelt down to her height and they hugged each other. I stood there with AJ crying in my arms. I gently cradled him to try and calm the baby down. "Shh, shh... it's okay, AJ..." I whispered.

Kenny then pulled away and stood up. "Come on... let's put some miles between us and this place..." he told us, looking back at the rest stop. "Maybe... maybe the others are somewhere out there..."

"W-Wait... there's something I need to do..." Clementine told us before she slowly walked back to the playground. Kenny and I watched as she took her gun out and aimed at Jane's corpse. "I... I'm sorry, Jane..." we heard her say before she pulled the trigger, sending a bullet through the corpse's head to prevent her from coming back. I flinched in surprise at this. Clementine then walked back to us, wiping away some tears. "O-Okay... let's go..."

We started to walk away from the rest stop together. I winced as I took a couple steps, feeling some pain in my ankle. Clem and Kenny looked back at me. "You okay, Anne?" Kenny asked.

I cringed a bit. "I'm alright..."

"Here, I'll carry him..." Clementine offered as she gently took AJ out of my arms and carried him herself. "We gotta find something to treat your arm..." she told me. I winced and held my injured arm to stop the bleeding. "Yeah... that'd be nice..."

Together, the three of us walked/limped away from the rest stop, not looking back. We could only keep moving now after what has happened...


	35. Nine Days Later

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

** Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver **

**Chase and Dylan Enheart both belong to I heart Lyoko**

**Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

* * *

**Dylan's POV**

"What the hell do you mean 'you think we lost them'?!" I snapped at Luke, who kept his eyes on the road as he drove on.

"That's what I said, Dylan. The truck just kept goin' faster than us until I couldn't see it anymore." Luke replied.

"D-Did something happen to them?" Sarah asked. "I don't know, Sarah... I hope not..." Luke told her. Tess held her large stomach as she rested next to Nick. Most of us managed to get into seats in the van before we left. The rest had to stay in the back to be able to fit in. I could tell Chase was not too fond of this plan, as he had a slightly annoyed expression as he was stuck in the back.

Becca was rather silent the entire trip, just glancing down at the floor as Luke drove. Shel's death must still be affecting her. Bonnie still had that sad look on her face. She must be still shocked about Mike leaving us.

"We have to look for those five." Bonnie protested. "Bonnie, look at this storm. I can barely see a thing besides the road. It'd be best if we just wait the blizzard out, them look for them." Luke responded.

"What?! We can't wait! They might be out there freezing their asses off! Kenny has the baby and Jane, Clementine, and Anne are with him! The baby could be freezing! They could be in trouble!" I protested.

"Dylan, I know you're worried, but-"

"Worried?! My GIRLFRIEND is out there, Luke! Of course I'm worried!" I snapped.

"I know, I know. But look at this. We can barely see a goddamn thing through all of this." Luke told me as he kept his eyes on the road while he drove the van. I glanced out the window, seeing the snowstorm start to slowly die down. As the surroundings around us became clearer, I noticed a roadblock of about a dozen trucks and a couple walkers. Crap...

Luke slowed the vehicle down just a bit. "Shit, roadblock..."

"Try to go around." Bonnie advised. Luke backed the van up a bit before turning to the left, driving past the roadblock. The road felt a bit bumpier as he drove. I glanced out the window and noticed something stuck in a snowdrift. It was the truck Kenny, Jane, Anne, Clem, and AJ were in! "Luke, stop the van!" I gasped. Luke pushed his foot down on the brakes and the van slowed down to a halt. "Whoa, whoa, what? What'd you see?" he asked.

"Look! It's the truck!" I exclaimed as I pointed to the crashed vehicle. Luke gasped and drove the vehicle over to the truck. "Shit, are they okay?!" he asked. I peered out the window again, thankfully seeing no walkers around. When Luke pulled to a stop, I immediately opened the door and got out of the van, rushing over to the crashed vehicle as the snow crunched beneath my feet. I noticed a couple thankfully dead walkers by the truck. My eyes widened seeing some blood on the ground. I crouched down to examine it as I heard a couple footsteps behind me. "What is it?" Nick asked. "Blood..." I answered with narrowed eyes. "You think... you think one of them got bit?"

I noticed Luke examining the shattered window. "No... look at this. This shard's got blood on it, too. Someone must've cut themselves on it..." he guessed. I cautiously peered inside, seeing a dead walker halfway through the windshield. There was no trace of Anne, Clementine, Jane, Kenny, or the baby. I got out of the truck and placed a hand on the hood. "Hm... it's cold... this must have crashed a while ago..." I guessed.

"If they're not here, then where the fuck are they?" Nick asked as he wrapped his arms around himself to keep warm. Luke and I glanced around until we noticed a building somewhere in the distance. "Maybe there?" I asked. "It's worth a shot... we've gotta check." Luke told me before he, Nick, and I headed back to the van. "They weren't in there?" Tess asked with worry as the three of us got in. I shook my head. "No, but we saw a building up ahead. They might be up there." I told her as Luke hit the accelerator and we drove off towards the mysterious building.

There was some snow in the way, but Luke managed to push through it as he drove. The building became clearer once we reached it. There was some sort of playground by it. Hm, must be a rest stop. Damn, it looked like a hurricane tore through it!

Luke pulled the van to a halt and some of us stepped out to stretch. "You think they could be in there?" Chase asked. "We have to check." I answered my brother. If Anne or the other four are in there injured, they'll need help...

I took a few steps, then froze hearing Sarah's short, frightened scream. "Sarah, what's wrong?!" Nick asked as we looked at her. The girl shakily pointed at something on the ground. "I-I-I-It's... Look!" she cried out. I glanced down at where she was pointing and almost yelled myself. Lying on the ground... was Jane, with her own knife in her chest and a bullet hole in her head. "Oh my god! It's... it's Jane!" Bonnie gasped, holding a hand to her mouth in shock. Luke looked down at Jane with horror etched on his face. "Oh god..." he whispered, stumbling a bit. "Fuck... Jane..."

That's right... back at the observation deck, he got busy with her...

"Who... Who could have done this?" Emily asked.

I knelt down to examine the corpse of Jane. "She must have been stabbed in the chest before being shot... she must have been shot afterwards so she wouldn't come back..." I theorized. "Or some sick fuck stuck her knife into her chest AFTER shooting her..." Chase frowned. "We... we can't just leave her here..." Luke muttered, shaking his head. "But where could we bury her?" I asked, gesturing to the snowy area around us.

Luke found an empty area near the playground. "Here... we could bury her here..." Luke muttered.

Nick went to get a couple shovels that were in the van. Together, he and Luke dug into the dirt. It took some time, but they managed to make a decent sized hole for Jane. The short haired woman had been wrapped up in a white cloth we found in the van. Bonnie helped Luke lower the body into the hole before Chase and I helped them out. Tess stayed silent as she rested her hands on her large stomach, glancing down at the snowy ground beneath us. "Does... does anybody want to say anything?" Bonnie asked after a moment.

Tess let out a sigh. "I do." she said as she took a step forward. "Jane... she saved our lives from my father. I will not forget that. I hope that she's happy now that she's with her sister..."

"I haven't known her for that long... but she was a member of our group... she saved our lives twice. I won't forget that." Bonnie sighed.

"Jane... she and I... God, I know it was only one time... but..." Luke sighed, shaking his head. "I liked Jane. She came back to us just in the nick of time... I don't think we can ever pay her back for that now... I hope she's happy up there now... she's with her sister..."

We bowed our heads, ignoring the cold winds as Nick and Luke shoveled dirt back into the new grave. Once Jane was properly buried, Luke stuck a homemade tombstone with the words 'RIP JANE' crudely carved into it at the head of the grave. "I'm sorry we couldn't get there in time..." Luke whispered, bowing his head. After a few moments of silence, we solemnly headed back to the van, seeing no trace of Anne, Clementine, Kenny, or Alvin Jr. in the rest stop or area.

As we piled into it, Becca dejectedly asked, "What now?"

"We... we have to find Clem and the others... we have to see if they're alive..." Luke muttered as he started the van up once again. "Clem is tough for her size. I'm sure she's okay. Anne can handle herself. Plus, Kenny's with them, so they're most likely alright." Chase said, getting to his spot in the back of the van, but not before adding, "But you know how Kenny is right now..."

"Let's just hope that Kenny's in a good enough state to take care of them..." Tess mumbled.

Luke then pressed his foot down on the accelerator and drove off away from the rest stop, not daring to look back at the place.

Anne... if you're out there... please be safe with the others...

* * *

**Anne's POV**

AJ's whines and cries had died down a bit sometime after we had left the rest stop. My ankle didn't hurt as much now, but the wound on my arm was really starting to sting. I still limped a bit due to my ankle, but I was able to keep up with Kenny and Clem.

"How's... how's your wounds right now, Kenny?" I asked the older man. He glanced back at me, shrugging a bit. "Nah, this is nothin'... stopped bleedin' a while ago..."

"We should still get your wounds treated." Clementine told the both of us. "Right... right, we gotta find shelter. It might have what we need." Kenny agreed.

I hope so. After what happened back at that rest stop... we just need to find a places to rest.

Clementine glanced up at me and her eyes widened. "Anne, your eye!" she gasped. I looked down at the younger girl with confusion, pointing at my left eye. "What? Something wrong with it?" I asked.

"Your _other _eye!" she pointed out. My eyes widened with realization. SHIT! My right eye!

I quickly turned away from them and tried to fish my bandana out of my pocket, but my injured arm stung too much. I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders as Kenny turned me around to face them. I quickly closed my right eye as they looked at me. "W-What?" I asked. "Anne, something's up with your eye. Is it infected? Did something get in it?" Clementine asked.

"I-I don't know what you're talkin' about..." I lied.

"Anne, take your hand off your eye." Kenny ordered.

"B-But...!"

"Anne, what are you hiding? Just tell us." Clem insisted.

"It's nothing." I told them as I tried to keep walking, but Kenny held me in place. "Dammit, Anne! Just tell us what's up with your eye." Kenny sighed. I shook my head. "For the last time, nothing wrong with it!" I insisted to them. "Anne, don't lie, please!" Clem pleaded.

I was silent for a moment as I looked at the two. Should I...? Well... it's no use lying about it now... they've already seen it. I sighed and opened my right eye, revealing its mismatched color. Clementine's eyes widened at the sight of my right eye. Kenny was shocked as well. "Whoa... it's-" Clem began.

"I know..." I muttered, cutting her off. "It's freaky-lookin'."

She shook her head. "No, it's actually pretty cool." she told me as she cradled AJ. I blinked in surprise at this, unable to believe what I was hearing. "Y-You mean it?" I asked. The younger girl nodded. "Yeah. I haven't seen anything like that before." she told me. "It looks better than my eye is faring." Kenny shrugged. "Why'd you hide somethin' like that from us?"

I looked away from them slightly with a sigh. "I got ridiculed for it by others. I thought that if I hid my right eye, it'd stop, but it didn't." I admitted, not wanting to go into the details of what happened. "Oh..." Kenny blinked with realization. "I thought you flipped out when I asked about that back at the lodge cause you were blind in that eye." he said. I sighed. "Can we just get somewhere safe? I don't wanna be talking about this stuff out in the open." I requested.

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." Kenny nodded as we resumed walking. I glanced around until I saw a shed in the distance. "Guys!" I whispered, pointing to the shed. We hid behind some bushes, examining the shed from a distance. "You see anythin'?" Kenny asked.

Clem looked around the area from where we were hiding and shook her head. "No... but we should be careful."

Kenny took hold of Alvin Jr carefully as we approached the shed. I took a quick glimpse of the area around us, seeing that there were thankfully no walkers around us so far. Kenny pressed his ear against the door before he took the board off it and opened the double doors, finding nothing in there. He looked back at us. "You two stay out here with AJ. I'll be right back." he told us before he stepped into the small shed.

I then looked over at Clementine as she held AJ, who slept on. "Okay, Clem... listen, what happened earlier... we have to keep an eye on Kenny..." I whispered. "After what he did to Jane... we can't let him do something like that again..."

She looked saddened for a moment, but nodded. "I know him. We can help him out of that dark place." she said. "Look, if he goes even more of the deep end..." I trailed off, not wanting to finish that sentence in front of her. "We'll just have to keep a close eye on him from now on." I finished. Just then, Kenny poked his head out of the shed. "It's okay, girls. No signs of walkers in here. It's safe to come in."

We stepped into the shed. It wasn't large, maybe a bit smaller than the shed we found Nick in a couple weeks ago, but it was shelter. And it even had a couple cans of beans, as well as a first aid kit. Kenny rushed over to it and got some supplies out. "Okay, let's get your arm treated." he told me. "But what about your wounds?" I inquired. He shrugged it off. "I'll be alright. Let's just get this thing cleaned out before it gets infected."

I sighed and handed him my injured arm. He grabbed a rag and dabbed some antiseptic on it. "I should warn you... that's gonna sting a bit." Kenny told me. "Don'tcha mean 'hurt like hell'?" I joked. I braced myself as he dabbed the rag on my cut. I cringed and gripped my pants leg tightly. "Aah!" I exclaimed in pain, feeling a burning pain in my arm. It felt like a hundred needles being jabbed into that cut all at once! God, this must be what it felt like for Clem and Kenny.

"Gah... fuck..." I winced, hunching over. "I warned ya." Kenny deadpanned as he got some medical gauze out and wrapped it around my wound to stop the blood flow. "Thanks, Kenny..." I thanked.

"Don't mention it." he nodded as he went to go look for any more supplied. Clementine relaxed in a corner, cradling a sleeping AJ in her arms. I slumped over in another corner of the shed as I tied my bandana back on.

Finally... a place to relax after what had happened. I just hope that nothing like that would ever happen again...

* * *

**Nine Days Later...**

Nine days have passed since Kenny had killed Jane. Nine days, man. It seems a hell of a lot longer. Clem and I have been keeping an eye on Kenny together. So far, he hasn't been showing any signs of anger like he had during that fight to the death with Jane. But we still decided to keep a close eye on him. His wounds from the fight had healed slightly. My arm had also healed slightly as well, but still stung a bit. Clem's shoulder wound healed as well. As for Kenny's eye... I think Carver did more damage to it than we thought. It might end up staying that way...

We were walking through a snowy forest area. In the distance, we could see smoke, meaning there's a good chance the place we are looking for is there. As we were walking up a hill, we looked back at Kenny, who was coming behind us as he carried baby Alvin Jr in his arms. "Hey, Kenny? You want us to hold him?" I asked the older man, who shook his head. "Nah, he's still light. We're alright, Anne." he told me. When he reached us, he had a playful smile. "Come on, I'll race you two to the top!" he challenged before he broke into a run, chuckling as he did.

My eye widened as he passed us. "Hey, what the?!" I exclaimed, but smirked as Clem and I ran after him. "Hehe, come on, Alvie! We got this!" Kenny laughed. Clementine had a smile on her face as we raced him. Heh, it's been a while since I had fun like this... I can't remember the last time I did!

I stumbled on my feet as we raced after him. Kenny reached the top of the hill before us. I came in second place while Clem came in last. "Okay, now that wasn't fair! You got a head start!" I said jokingly.

"Still won." Kenny smirked.

"Still not fair." I retorted with my own smirk. "Guys!" Clem gasped. We both looked where she was looking and my eye widened. "Ho-ly shit." I gasped.

In the distance, we could see makeshift walls that were at least fifteen feet high that stretched out as far as I could see, as well as a huge makeshift gate at the center of the wall. "We did it, you two... That's gotta be it!" Kenny gasped.

"Wellington... So it IS real..." I breathed.

"What're we waitin' for? Come on!" Kenny grinned as we began walking. "This ones gonna be the one. Just look at those walls! Finally feeling safe! Be able to sleep at night-!"

A sudden gunshot interrupted him as a bullet was fired at our feet. We all cringed. "Motherfu-!" I began, surprised by this.

"That's far enough." we heard a woman call over a PA system. What the hell?!

"Girls, just stay still. Do as she says." Kenny advised. Clem and I held our hands up, showing we meant no harm.

"Drop your weapons." the woman on the intercom ordered. Clem took out her gun and set it on the ground. Reluctantly, I set my hunting knife down on the snowy and cold ground. "Approach the gate." the mysterious woman spoke again. Slowly, we approached the huge gates together. I could see a woman above the gate. "Hi, I'm Edith." she greeted with a friendly smile. It was the same woman from the intercom!

"Name's Kenny, and this here is Clementine and Anne." Kenny introduced us. "Hello." Edith acknowledged before she noticed AJ. "Oh, what a handsome little boy. Look at him! What's his name?" she cooed. "Alvin Junior." Kenny replied.

"Is there someone named Christa here?" Clementine asked. "Or Dylan? Chase? Tess?" I added. Please be there, please be there...

Edith shook her head. "I don't think so. Sorry."

Damn it.

"So, this is Wellington, right?" Kenny asked. Edith nodded. "A lot of people call it that." "Okay... So what do we do to get in?" Kenny inquired. Edith's smile fell. "Well... I'm a first this is the part where I give you the bad news." she told us regretfully. "Bad news?" I asked with confusion. Edith dropped a bag from where she was at on the gate in front of us.

"The hell is this?" Kenny gasped softly.

"That's some supplies. Food, water, medicine, a first aid kit-"

"Why are you giving us this stuff?" I asked her, confused by this action. "Unfortunately, are community isn't accepting new members. We're over capacity as it is, and there's just not enough to go around if we keep bringing people in. Things might change in a few months-" Edith told us.

"You've gotta be fuckin' kidding me." Kenny said.

"I'm sorry. I really am." Edith said regretfully. "But we have a baby!" Clementine protested.

"This is hard for me, too... I don't want to turn anyone away, especially children, but-"

"Just take the kids!" Kenny suddenly requested. I was shocked hearing those words come out of his mouth. "Please! It's too dangerous out here for them! It's just a little girl, a teenager, and a baby boy! You can make room for that! You can take back the supplies you gave us, if that helps! Please, just- I need them to be safe! And it's safe in there! Just... Ask someone, please? They won't make it out here!" he pleaded.

What the hell is he doing?!

Edith was silent for a moment. "I'll... I'll ask. Just gimme a second." she told us before she headed off somewhere.

"Kenny, what the hell are you doing?!" I hissed. "Look at these walls, Anne! It's safe here... You three will be safe, that's what's important now." he told us.

Edith returned and looked down at us. "We can take the children... but just the children."

Kenny sighed with relief. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" he exclaimed before he turned to us. "Listen... This is your chance. For you and this boy. I don't trust myself to keep you three safe. Not anymore." he said as he handed AJ to Clem and placed his hands on Clem's shoulders. "Please... I'm begging you. Stay here. Stay here where it's safe... Where you two will have a chance. Anne will take care of you two."

"Kenny... What are you gonna do, then?!" I asked.

Clementine started to cry. "No, no, no! Why are you doing this?" she asked tearfully. "Because it's the only way for you three. Think about Alvie, here..." he answered as he started to cry as well. I was getting teared up myself. "Please... Just do as I'm askin' for this one last time. You'll meet people... You'll make new friends... People better than me. Good people... That don't have to look at you and feel ashamed about what they've put you through... Please, Clem... Anne... Please... Where you don't have to sleep every night with a gun next to you. Where you can be a kid for a while, Clem... "

Kenny... really wants the best for us... But...

"No! We're leaving! All of us! Together!" Clementine sobbed.

"Clem, please, it's safe here... Think about the-"

"Stop! Just stop, okay? We're not staying here! That's that."

"Sounds like... Sounds like she means business..." I heard Edith sniffle, moved to tears. Kenny let out a sigh. "Yeah..." he whispered. "Yeah, it does."

Kenny and Clem then looked at me. "What about you, Anne...?" Clem sniffled.

I wiped away a stray tear that fell down my cheek. Dylan... Chase... Tess... They're all still out there. I can't stay here knowing they might be somewhere close to us. I can't stay. I WON'T stay.

"I'm not staying. I'm your friend, Clem... Dylan and the others are still out there... We have to find them." I answered her. This brought a tearful smile to her face.

Just then, Edith dropped a second bag by us. "I'm... I'm only supposed to give out one per group, but... Look if you're in the area, check back in a few months. We might be accepting people then."

"Thank you for the help... And, uh, sorry for the language." Kenny thanked and apologized. "Well, it's a shitty situation... We're all doing the best we can. You all stay safe out there." Edith nodded.

"Edith... If you see any people named Dylan or Chase Enheart with a group, could you let them know that we're alright?" I requested.

"If they do, I will." Edith told me.

The three of us smiled gratefully before Edith disappeared into Wellington. Kenny and I picked up the two bags. Kenny smiled at Clementine. "You're as stubborn as a damn mule." he commented.

Clem smiled. "Yeah? Wonder who I got that from?" she joked as she looked at us. We both smiled at her as we started to walk away from Wellington. On the way, Clem and I picked up our gun and hunting knife.

We may not found exactly what we were looking for... But we can still keep searching. Searching for shelter... for food... for supplies... for safety... for friends.

Just you wait, Dylan.

I'll find you. I promise.

* * *

**Well, there's the end of the season 2 part. But don't worry! I'm gonna keep going! And yes, I finally did the first part in someone else's POV besides Anne or Tess. Hope you liked that touch. And also, I'll be accepting a certain amount of OCs! Remember, no god-mode like characters. Just fill out this-**

**Name:**

**Age:**

**Gender:**

**Ethnicity:**

**Hair color:**

**Eye color:**

**Weight:**

**Appearance/clothing:**

**Personality:**

**Backstory:**

**Until the next chapter, everyone! Ciao!**


	36. A New Face

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters. **

**Anne Marshall belongs to me**

**Tess Carver belongs to Tess Carver**

**Chase and Dylan Enheart belong to I heart Lyoko**

** Emily Carver belongs to Emily Carver**

**Okay, I'm loving the submissions I've been getting! So far, I've accepted:**

**Clair Fay- DinoWriter23**

**Kristen Manderson- XxClemClemxX**

**Amanda Harris- Chris Carver**

**Perry Quillinheart- ZombieGuy96**

**Philip Kingston- TheCroAssassin**

**I love the characters you've been submitting, guys! I'm going through all the submissions I've received so far and having a bit of trouble deciding which to accept next. I possibly need a couple more, though. ANYWAY, long author note done with. On with the story!**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I stumbled over my feet a bit as we walked on. About a day or so had passed since we had left the gates of Wellington. AJ was starting to run out of baby formula, thus making Kenny desperate to find a place to rest so we could look for some. Our wounds are still healing, but my arm isn't throbbing anymore. We haven't come across any abandoned shacks as of lately, so we were forced to rest outside by a campfire. We would each take turns keeping watch while two of us would rest or watch after AJ. So I haven't gotten much rest lately. None of us have. I know Kenny could really use some...

I climbed over a log, then stopped for a moment as I waited for Clementine and Kenny to catch up to me.

"See anything?" Kenny asked. I glanced around the area we were in, seeing nothing but snow, trees, logs, and rocks. "Yeah. Nature." I deadpanned.

Kenny rolled his eye. "Other than that." he told me. I stood stop a large rock and observed the area. Sadly, no sign of supplies. I sighed and shook my head, looking back at the two dejectedly. "Sorry, but no."

"Goddamn it." Kenny sighed, shaking his head. I got off the rock as we continued trekking on. It was silent for several minutes, except the only sounds were AJ's cooing and occasional whines, the sound of snow crunching underneath our feet, and the sound of the wind. I tromped down a small hill with the other two following shortly behind me. There was still no sign of Dylan, Tess, or the others _anywhere. _I was starting to get worried. What if... what if we never find them...?

I shook my head. No, we'll find them again. I know they're still out there.

A distant snarl and hiss finally pierced the silence. I froze in place immediately at the sound. "Walker..." I whispered, alerting Kenny and Clem. All three of us crouched down and walked slowly just in case. I reached for my hunting knife and gripped it in my right hand, ready to take the walker out. As they hid behind a set of trees, I snuck out and hustled over to the walker. The corpse had its back turned to me as it snarled. Perfect. Unsuspecting walker, easier take-out.

As I reached the walker, I stayed crouched down before I slowly rose up, then grabbed its shoulder. It snarled and began to turn around, but I stopped it by shoving my hunting knife into its skull. The groans stopped abruptly and the walker collapsed to the ground. Yanking my knife out, I glanced back at Kenny and Clem, who were coming out of their hiding spot. "It's alright, it's dead." I tell them as I wiped the dark blood off my knife on my jeans.

Kenny then glanced around, then his eye widened. "Look!" he whispered as he pointed ahead of us in a direction. I rose an eyebrow, but looked in the direction he was pointing. In the distance... I could see smoke.

Smoke... that means there's a camp nearby! Hopefully, it's abandoned. Or hopefully, Dylan and the others are there.

We crouched down and walked through the bushes. When we were nearing the camp, Kenny had us stop. "One of us should go out there in case anything goes sideways." he whispered. "Well, who do you suggest should go out there, then?" I asked him in a hushed tone. I got my answer when Kenny turned and looked at me.

Well... crap.

* * *

**?'s POV**

I quietly cooked some deer meat over the campfire I made. It took me a while to shoot that deer, but it was worth it. Nearby, my horse, Windrun, stood nearby and snorted. I sighed and glanced back at him. "Look, I'm sorry that all the fruits and vegetables we had rotted away. If I had an apple or a carrot, I'd give you one. At least you have the grass, right?"

He merely snorted at me. I let out a sigh. "Windrun..."

I liked having these conversations with him. Even though I knew he wouldn't respond with words, it was comforting to have someone or something to talk to.

Just then, I heard a twig snap. I looked up with alert as I grabbed my bow, arrows, and few knives. If this was a scavenger, psychopath, corpse, or cannibal, then I would have to be ready. There's no way they'll find some defenseless girl here. As I rushed over to a tree to hide in, I noticed Windrun wasn't moving. "Psst! Windrun! Move!" I hissed down to him. But the horse just stood there looking around.

I sighed and shook my head before I ducked behind the tree trunk, getting an arrow ready to shoot.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I stayed crouched down as I slowly snuck over to the camp, silently grumbling to myself. I swear to god, if something bad happens, I'm kicking Kenny's ass.

As I neared the hopefully abandoned camp... I could smell food cooking. FOOD! Maybe there's some baby formula here we could use for AJ!

I ducked down in case there was anybody there and hid behind a bush. I moved some branches out of my face and peered through the leaves. Hm... no one's there. I could see a horse just standing there next to a tent. Whoa... I'm surprised its managed to stay alive this long. I could also see a table, a couple chairs, and some sort of meat cooking over a campfire.

Cautiously, I stepped out of the bushes and kept my hand near my hunting knife in case something happened. I edged towards the seemingly empty camp to examine it. The first thing a checked out was the horse. Surprisingly, it didn't seemed spooked. I slowly approached it, holding a hand out to not frighten it. "Easy, there..." I said gently. The animal simply looked at me and let out a snort. I gently placed my hand on its muzzle and pet it softly. "I'm surprised no walkers have gotten ya, yet." I told it.

The only response I got from the horse was another snort. I then walked away from it and examined the tent. The flap was open, so all I could do was crouch down and peer inside. All I saw was a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a few books. Hm... these look like they've been recently used. Maybe this place isn't as abandoned as it seems...

In that case, I'll have to make this quick then _get the hell outta here._

I backed away from the tent, glancing around at the camp again. My eye fell on the meat next. The smell reached my nose and I resisted drooling. "Let's hope that ain't people meat..." I muttered to myself. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something white, other than snow. I crouched down, seeing a pair of antlers lying on the ground. Whew, guess this isn't people meat after all, thank God.

I got back up and examined the meat on the table. "Maybe about four or five slices would be enough to feed us." I muttered to myself before I reached for one of the slabs of meat. Suddenly, an arrow embedded itself just inches away from my hand.

"What the fuck?!" I exclaimed in shock. Where the hell did that come from?!

"Step away from that meat now." I heard a female voice order. "That's you only warning."

I gulped. Damn it...

I held my hands up above my head in surrender as I stared ahead. I heard some footsteps crunching through the snow, followed by the female voice ordering, "Drop your weapons, then turn around. Slowly."

Slowly, I pulled my hunting knife out of its sheath and set it down in the dirt. I turned around towards the source of the voice and I was surprised who it belonged to. A teenage girl with dark tan skin, like a Cherokee's, was aiming a bow and arrow at me. She seemed close to my age, maybe a year older. She had dark brown hair that had two braided strands at the sides, as well as a ponytail and a red headband. The mysterious girl wore a red vest over a matching long sleeved shirt, jeans, and boots that came up to her knees. I noticed she also had a knife and tomahawk attached to her belt. Strapped onto her back was a quiver filled with arrows.

The girl looked at me with a frown as she kept her aim on me. "Step away from the food." she ordered once again. I gulped and backed away from the table. "T-This your camp?" I asked nervously.

"Yes, and you just happen to be trespassing. Why are you here?" the girl questioned me.

Gulping, I answered, "L-Look, I saw the smoke and thought maybe there'd be something useful here..."

The girl looked like she wanted to smack herself. "I knew I should have kept that fire down..." she muttered to herself before she aimed at me again. "Who are you and why are you here?" she repeated.

I stammered, "I-I-I was looking for food and some formula and I saw the smoke, s-so I thought there'd probably be some here. So I came here, saw the meat, then you showed up."

She rose an eyebrow. "Wait... formula? As in baby formula?" she asked.

I nodded quickly, confirming this as I still held my hands up in surrender hoping she wouldn't fire. "Yes, there's a baby with us that needs more formula. We're running out."

"'Us'?" the mysterious teen frowned. "How many people are in your group?"

... stupid me.

I mentally smacked myself. Goddamn it. No going back now...

"There's me, a man with one damaged eye, a little girl, and a baby boy." I answered with a sigh. Hearing this, she lowered her aim slightly. "You have children with you...? I haven't come across anyone with children in their group for a long time." she said softly before lowering her aim completely. "You better be telling the truth."

I nodded quickly. "I am, I swear."

The teenage girl slowly approached me, looking me up and down. "What's your name?" she asked me.

"Anne. Anne Marshall." I answered.

She studied me for a moment, then sighed as she held her hand out to me. "My name's Clair. Clair Fay." she told me as she shook my hand. "Sorry about the arrow. I thought you were one of those corpses or crazies."

"Well, I definitely ain't either." I joked lightly.

"Where's this group of yours?" the girl, Clair, asked me. I scratched the back of my head. "Well, they didn't know whether to approach this camp, so they had me come up here to see if it was okay..." I explained, but trailed off when I saw a familiar figure creeping behind Clair ready to tackle her. My eye widened and I exclaimed, "Kenny, no! She's okay! Don't-!"

Clair's eyes widened and she whirled around just in time to see Kenny about to tackle her. I darted forward and jumped in front of Kenny as Clair readied an arrow. I tried to push the older man back as I growled, "Kenny, what the hell?! I thought you were staying there till it was okay to come out?!"

"She had a weapon drawn on you!" he defended. "I just came to help!"

"She's not gonna shoot!" I snapped.

"Who is this man?!" Clair asked as she had her bow and arrow ready to fire. "This is the guy in the group with the damaged eye, Kenny. He's a bit of a hardhead." I grumbled, earning a glare from Kenny. "Excuse me for trying to protect you!" he snapped.

"You almost made it worse! You should have just waited until it was alright!" I retorted. "She's not a threat!"

"Please don't fight!" I heard Clementine plead as she cautiously stepped out of the bushes with AJ softly whining in her arms. Clair's eyes widened seeing her and the baby. "You weren't lying..." she whispered, slowly lowering her aim. Clementine glanced up at Kenny with her golden eyes and said, "Kenny, you almost got yourself shot!"

"I thought Anne was being attacked! I couldn't just sit back and watch!" he defended himself. I instantly thought of Nick accidentally shooting that man on the bridge a couple weeks ago. Thank God we didn't have a repeat of that just now. "You could have been killed..." Clementine whispered.

"I'm sorry... it won't happen again, Clem..." Kenny told her softly.

I sighed. Let's see where that gets us... it'll most likely happen again. "Sorry about that... Kenny just wants to protect us... well, by doing things in his own way." I explained to Clair, then gestured to Clementine and AJ, adding, "This is Clementine and Alvin Junior."

Clair looked at the three, then completely lowered her aim to the ground as she slowly approached us. "Hey, easy, girl." Kenny frowned, but I glared at him. Clair looked down at Clem and the baby, then looked back at me. "I think I found some baby formula a few days ago. Let me go check..." she trailed off as she stepped into her tent to search for something. As she did, I glared up at Kenny. "What happened to staying with Clem and waiting for me to say it was okay?" I hissed. "Let's just drop it." he grumbled at me. "Guys..." Clementine began as she stepped in between us to prevent us from arguing further.

Just then, Clair stepped out of the tent holding a can of... BABY FORMULA! YES!

Clementine gasped. "Thank you!" she told her thankfully as she was handed the can. Clair gave a slight smile in return. "You're welcome..." she told the younger girl. "I can make it for you if you'd like."

"Thank you..." Clem repeated before reaching into her bag and pulling out AJ's baby bottle, handing it to Clair. As Clair walked away to the fire to prepare it, the horse trotted over to me and sniffed the top of my head. I stiffened up and slowly looked up at the dark brown horse. "Ah... hi there..." was all that came to mind as I turned around to face the horse. Clair looked over her shoulder with a slight smile. "That's my horse, Windrun. We've been by each other's side for a while, now."

The horse, or rather Windrun, sniffed me again... THEN LICKED ME ACROSS THE FACE!

"Ewww!" I groaned as I stumbled back a bit. My hands instantly flew up to my face as I tried to wipe the slobber off. Ugh, I think some of it got in my mouth! Gross!

Clementine quietly giggled while Kenny smirked at me and crossed his arms. I heard Clair chuckle a bit. "I think he likes you." she told me. I cringed and wiped the last of the horse slobber off my face. "I can tell." I deadpanned to her. Just then, AJ started to whine a bit, drawing our attention to him. "Here, I got him..." Kenny told Clementine as he gently took AJ out of her arms and cradled him, walking over to a log to sit on. "It's okay, buddy..."

Geez, one minute he's on a rampage, then the next, he's gentle as a lamb.

Suddenly, Clementine elbowed me in the stomach. I winced and hunched over a bit, holding my stomach as I glanced at the younger girl. "What was that for?" I asked. "For calling me a 'little girl'." Clem replied as she crossed her arms, adding with a grumble, "I'm not little."

"Well, you technically are, since-" I cut myself off right there as Clementine silently glared up at me with her amber eyes.

"I'll shut up."

* * *

We managed to calm things down a bit after a few minutes of discussing. Now, the four of us were gathered around the campfire sitting on logs taking bites of meat.

"... so, ever since then, we've been looking for the rest of our group. So far, we haven't found a trace of them anywhere near the area." Clementine finished explaining.

"Hm... you've gone through a lot..." Clair commented after taking a bite. "Wait, did you say you had a pregnant woman with you?"

I nodded. "Yes, her name is Tess. She's about... seven months along, I think... I don't really know, but her baby bump is really showin'." I told her. Clair seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. "Hmm... has she shown any signs of pain?" she asked.

I paused to think about her question, trying to remember. "Hm... well... she did have to stop and rest every once in a while cause the baby would keep kicking." I remembered.

"If it kept kicking, then there's possibly a chance the baby may be born soon." Clair said.

"But we're not prepared... last time a pregnant lady gave birth, she died a couple days later." Kenny explained as he cradled Alvin Junior. "If she does give birth before you find them... then you'd better hope that whoever's with her can help her get through it." Clair told us.

"I hope so, too..." I muttered softly as I took a bite out of the cooked deer meat.

After a silent minute or two, Clair asked me, "So, Anne... could you tell me about these Enheart brothers that were with you?"

"Yeah. Dylan Enheart is my boyfriend. He's a real sweet guy, has a small scar on his cheek from I don't know what. He's always looked out for me when we were kids. Chase is his older brother by a year, but he acts like HE'S the younger one. He's always joking around and acts immature sometimes." I sighed. "I miss those two..."

"So do I... I miss hearing Chase tease you and Dylan." Clementine brought up. I rolled my eye at this, but I sort of agreed with her there. Two weeks have passed since we last saw them and already I was starting to miss Chase teasing the two of us when we were together. "But anyway, they're both good people." I finished.

"This 'Chase' person sounds like a funny character." Clair commented with the faint hint of a smile.

"Well, he knows how to lighten the mood... even when he's not supposed to." I chuckled softly.

"He doesn't know when to shut his mouth..." Kenny butted in. "Even back when I first met those two brothers, Chase always kept cracking jokes. He would even pull a prank on me once in a while when I was sleeping."

I chuckled a bit. "Yep, that sounds like something Chase would do..."

It was silent for several minutes after we finished our dinner. Kenny then stood up, stretching a bit. "Well, thanks for the food, kid, but we really need to get moving now."

Clair rose an eyebrow. "Wait, you're seriously gonna go out when its starting to get dark?" she questioned. "We'll be fine, kid. We've traveled in the dark before, so we can handle it." Kenny said dismissively.

"Kenny... I kinda agree with Clair. You know how dangerous it can be when it's dark outside." I brought up. "And it'd be dangerous for AJ, too..." Clementine agreed.

Kenny was surprised by the agreement. "You too, Clem?" he asked with disbelief.

"I have some spare sleeping bags I found earlier. You can stay here for a day or two if you want, but don't cause any trouble." Clair told us. Kenny seemed reluctant, but sighed. "Clem's right... this is the safest place for AJ right now as far as I know." he muttered.

Clair got some sleeping bags out of the tent she had and set them out for us. "It's not much, but I think it will be enough to keep the baby warm."

"Thank you, Clair." I told her gratefully.

As we rolled the sleeping bags out in thankfully snow free areas around the campfire, Kenny spoke up. "I'll take first watch. You kids get some rest."

"No, I'll take first watch. You didn't get much sleep, so-" I began, but Kenny cut me off.

"I'll get my rest soon. You just get some sleep, Anne. You can take the next watch." he insisted as he sat up in his sleeping bag keeping AJ in his arms. I sighed with defeat. "Okay, okay..." I muttered as I laid down in the sleeping bag, feeling the warmth of the campfire.

* * *

**Clair's POV**

As I sat in my tent, I glanced out at the three new people. The man, Kenny, was currently keeping watch. I don't exactly trust that man since he tried to sneak up and tackle me earlier. He seems a bit too angry about some things, and that eye of his, it looks like it needs to be treated_ badly._

I'm surprised that girl, Clementine, managed to survive this long. Whoever took care of her or taught her how to survive did a very well job.

And that other girl, Anne... hm, she seems alright. Might wanna check that eye of hers to see if its infected. She does have a bit of a mouth, though.

However, all of them care for that baby... I'm surprised they've managed to keep a baby alive for this long...

I let out a silent sigh as I looked back at the book I was reading. If they don't have enough supplies if they head out on their own again, there's no chance the baby would survive. I'm glad I picked up that baby formula when I was searching that one store earlier this week.

These guys seem like nice people... but for now, I don't exactly trust them yet. I better keep an eye on them... never know what they might do next... they could be either benevolent or life-threatening.


	37. Stranger Danger

**Hey guys! Welcome back! Sorry for the long wait, school's being a pain again with it getting to finals and too much homework.**

**And 311 reviews?! That's amazing! Thank you so much for being so supportive! Wow... as of April 6th, it's been a whole year since I published this story... it's come a long way since then.**

**ZombieGuy96, this chapter's for you! You're doing absolutely fantastic on your story Ruin To Redemption, by the way! Love it! Last chapter left me in suspense. I hope I can write this certain character correctly.**

**I'd like to thank Tess Carver for helping me out with part of this chapter. Thanks, girl! This chapter is also for you! I know you've been waiting for it for a _long_ time. Sorry for the wait. Hopefully, this will make up for it.**

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters. All rights go to their respective owners.**

**Only Anne Marshall belongs to me**

* * *

**Dylan's POV**

I pulled the screwdriver out of the back of the walker's head and it fell to the ground. "It's dead!" I called to the group behind me.

"You know, we coulda drove around it or run it over." Nick deadpanned.

I looked over my shoulder at the older man. "If we did, it would probably break through the windshield like that one walker we saw in that car a couple weeks ago." I told him, referring to when we found the empty car that Kenny, Anne, Jane, and Clem rode in.

"It woulda done damage to its brain." Nick shrugged.

"I doubt it would do THAT much damage enough to take it out." I retorted.

"Boys, focus." Bonnie scolded us as she helped Tess back into the van. "Tess's back is straining, so we don't wanna keep her on her feet for long."

I sighed and picked up the fuel we had found when we stopped. "Well, lucky for her, we got enough fuel right here to get us going a long way."

"It better. We've been on the road for nearly two damn weeks." Becca muttered from the van. I handed the can of gas to Nick so he could pour some of it into the gas tank. He's gotten the hang of this after about three attempts this past week.

I slipped back into the van and took my seat. Tess sat in a comfortable position with her hands resting atop her large stomach. She seemed to cringe every now and then. Looks like the baby is really kicking up a storm in there. "You okay, Tess?" Luke asked her as he got into the driver's seat. She winced, but nodded slightly. "Y-Yeah... let's just keep going." she answered.

"You sure? Cause you really don't look okay..." Luke told her with concern.

"I said I'm okay. Let's just get going." Tess insisted. Nick was the last one to slip back into the van. He held Tess's hand reassuringly before Luke started the car up. I glanced out the window, hoping to find signs of our missing friends. I didn't see a trace of them.

With an exhausted sigh, I slumped down in my seat as Luke drove off away from the abandoned vehicles.

There was now an awkward silence between all of us. No one spoke a single word. Since no one was talking, I glanced out the window at the snow covered grounds we were passing by quickly. I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since Anne, Kenny, Clem, and AJ went missing. Luke's been kind of depressed for a few days ever since we discovered Jane's body, but he seems to have recovered from it. We haven't found a single trace of them anywhere, and we were fearing the worst... were they dead? Captured? Or worst?

I prayed they weren't. I know that Kenny is a tough man, but he is also a broken man now that Sarita's gone. And with how he almost killed Arvo... who knows what he'll do next now. If they're alive... then the best thing Anne and Clem can do is keep an eye on that guy.

Tess suddenly began to groan, shifting in her seat. "I-I need to throw up!" she strained, coughing. My eyes widened at what she said. Aw crap!

Luke quickly stopped the car and we all moved aside as Tess opened the door and puked. After a few seconds, she stopped and sat back, wiping her mouth..

"It's so cold out there...so cold..." she whispered, using her fingers to massage under her eyes. Isn't that where the sinuses are?

"Tessie... You should get some rest..." I heard Nick whisper to her. Tess leaned her head on his chest, coughing. "I'm so sorry….I'm so so sorry I did it to you...I'm sorry, baby..." she apologized over and over, tears in her eyes. Nick held her close to him to try and comfort her.

Luke glanced back at them almost nervously. "Um... how about some tunes, guys? Found some, uh, CDs in the glove department in this thing."

Tess placed a hand on Nick's chest and smiled at the thought of music. "That'd be nice. Wouldn't it, guys?"

Luke put in a CD and some country music began to play.

Tess slowly closed her eyes, getting some rest as we drove on for another hour.

Everyone was quiet again...

Bonnie placed a hand on my shoulder. "We'll find her, Dyl." she assured with a smile. Before I could say anything back, Tess opened her eyes and sat straight up, gasping.

This got all of our attention. Luke quickly stopped the van and we all looked at her.

"T-T-Tess? What's wrong?" Sarah asked placed a hand on her belly, taking deep breaths.

"J-just a nightmare...I cramped up for a second." she informed. "I think I'm okay."

"We're safe, baby. The baby's gonna be fine." Nick assured, wrapping an arm around her. She hugged her belly and leaned into him, closing her eyes tightly.

Luke sighed, then he looked at something in the distance. "There's a shack or something up there. Could be somewhere we can rest in for the night."

"You sure? Cause you never know if there's a walker or crazy guy hanging out over there..." Chase pointed out.

"Well, I'm sure I wanna eat that big can of soup over a nice warm fire tonight." Luke commented. "Besides, I need to find some gas around here. Our supply is running low as it is."

Bonnie hummed as she leaned back in her suit. "Mm, soup sounds nice. God knows we need it." she agreed.

Emily began to rub Tess's back. "Tess needs it."

Tess pushed her hand away defiantly. "Do I want a bed? Yes..." she stated. "Do I want fire and a can of heated soup? Hell to the yes..."

"So... Who's gonna go check the shack out?" I asked. Everyone looked at me after I had said this. "Oh..."

Tess sighed and raised her hand. "I doubt anyone's gonna shoot a pregnant lady."

"Never mind. I'll do it. Anne might be in here." I volunteered as I started to get out, grabbing the screwdriver. "Besides, Anne would kill me if I let something happen to her best friend." I joked.

Tess smiled back, holding her belly. "Be careful, sweetheart."

"I'm always careful, you guys." I told them as I got out.

"By that, you mean 'never', right?" Chase joked. I rolled my eyes. "Fuck you." I retorted, earning some snickers from Nick and Tess, as well as a smirk from Chase, as I closed the door and began approaching the shack. I opened the door and was relieved to find it empty. There was a fireplace in the wall, so there was no worry for making a fire _outside_... the weather was really horrible as it was.

I signaled for the van to come closer. As it pulled up closer, I checked again for any signs of a walking corpse. Thankfully, none at all. At least we can sleep without worrying about walkers for once. Better than sleeping in that stupid van hearing Chase snoring. Better than nothing, but nobody liked to wake up to a sore back. Tess and the baby didn't need that...

One by one, the group emptied out of the van and came into the shack. Bonnie and Emily were supporting Tess, who was holding her back.

She walked next to Luke. "What kinda soup are we having?" she asked, waddling into the shack.

In response, he pulled a couple cans of chicken noodle soup out of his bag and showed them to her. "I was able to snatch these at the last place we stopped at." he replied as he set them down on a table. Tess licked her lips. "I'm starving..." she muttered.

"Me too..." Sarah said in almost a whisper. Nick shivered. "I'm gonna get a fire started. It is FREEZING in here." he complained, grabbing some nearby wood to put it in the fireplace. He used some matches to light a fire, which thankfully warmed up the place. Luke got a pot he had found out of a cabinet and filled it with water so it could be boiled.

Tess sat down in a plush chair, rubbing her belly. "Can't wait for that soup..."

I plopped down on a sleeping bag on the floor as I stared up at the ceiling. "Me either..."

All was silent for a few minutes as Luke and Bonnie fixed the soup. I then let out a sigh. "I miss Anne..." I muttered with sadness. Tess bent down to rub my shoulder. "Don't worry, honey..."

"Do you... Do you think she's alive...?" I asked softly as I looked up at her.

Tess sighed and leaned back, rubbing her baby belly. "I... well, sometimes I think she's out there striving like us, sometimes I think she's finally in a better place. Either way, I believe she might be out there. We can only hope." she told me before she stood up and tapped Luke on the shoulder. "I need to talk to you outside."

Luke rose an eyebrow, but he complied and stepped out with her. Chase then sat next to me on the floor. "You miss her too, huh?" he asked.

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah..."

He patted my shoulder and sighed. Then he smirked. "Wanna eavesdrop on Tess and Luke?" he suggested. I gave my brother a look. "You really have a knack for getting into trouble, don't ya?" I deadpanned.

He only smirked in reply and dragged me over to listen in on the conversation. I swear, my brother has _no_ common sense.

I could see that Tess was rubbing her large, pregnant stomach as she stood outside with Luke. "I'm sorry about Jane..." she told him. I could hear Luke sigh. "She... She saved our asses twice... We won't be able to repay that, now..." he said softly. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's in a better place, Luke. It's okay." she assured. Luke gave her a small smile before it faded. "Did you bring me out here just to coddle me on Jane?"

Tess sighed and took her hand away from his shoulder. "No... I... I didn't tell Nick about... what happened between us."

Luke blinked in surprise. "Are you referring to... That one night...?"

I blinked in confusion as I hid behind the wall. What night?

"Yes, Luke!" Tess snapped, holding her belly. "That one night!" Then she quieted her voice. "I can't tell him, I can't. He'll... He'll KILL me and you!"

Luke gulped backing away a step. Tess rubbed her eyes. "Fuck... I'm just praying it's his baby..."

"Let's just pray it is... Nick already went through a lot..." Luke whispered to her.

Wait... the baby might not be Nick's?! HOLY SHIT!

"We all have, I know, I know." Tess sighed out. "I'm just, I'm scared that I'll end up like... Rebecca."

"Don't be afraid, Tess..." Luke told her softly. "We're all here for you..."

Tess looked away, sniffling. "I-I'm sorry." she apologized, wiping her nose. "It's just that no one has experience and with Carlos and Kenny gone..." She looked back at Luke. "I... I'm SCARED, Luke. I'm scared to death. I... I don't wanna end up like Rebecca did... I want to be there for my child..." she sniffled. Luke rubbed her back, sighing. "Nick and the rest of us will be there to take care of him."

Tess rubbed her belly, smiling down at the large bump. "You think it's a 'he', too?"

"Yeah, I do." Luke nodded.

"I guess that's, uh, really sweet." Tess commented, looking away awkwardly. There was an awkward silence between them. She cleared her throat and turned her body away. "I need to- my back is killing me. Mind helping me inside?" she requested. Aw shit!

Chase yanked me back and we quickly headed back to our spots, trying to act casual as Tess and Luke came back in. Tess sniffed the air as she waddled in. "Mmm, I can smell that soup!" she commented as she sat on the chair. I tried not to think about everything I just heard just as the smell entered my nose. I almost started drooling from it... oh god, it smells so good!

Bonnie chuckled as she stirred the soup with a ladle. "Yeah, it's gonna be a good meal tonight. Nick, get the bowls?" she requested. Nick was already on it, grabbing some plastic bowls from a cabinet. Tess smiled as he handed the bowls to Bonnie. "You're gonna be a good daddy." she commented. Nick smiled in response. "You sure you don't wanna name him Nick Jr?" he joked. "Come on, man. Last thing we need is another YOU running around." Luke retorted, snorting laughter as Nick punched his shoulder. "Shut up, man!"

Chase looked like he was about to laugh as well. Becca smirked a bit, but her smirk quickly fell, probably thinking about Shel. Tess sighed and crossed her legs. "Let's just eat this soup so we can get to sleep..."

Luke smiled in agreement. "Nothin' nicer than a nice bed to sleep on." he commented.

Nick glanced at the only two beds in the room. "Uh... Luke?"

Luke blinked, then groaned. "Oh..."

"I'll sleep on the floor." I volunteered. Tess blushed. "I can take the floor for once..." she offered, sighing. "Tess, you know your back ain't up for that." Bonnie pointed out. "I can take it. You guys are spoiling me too much." Tess remarked, trying to stand up, but Nick stopped her. "Tessie... Sleeping on a hard floor ain't gonna be good for your back..."

"Nick, come on..." she pleaded. "It ain't gonna-you guys deserve e d more than me, okay? You work so hard, but you never get the good stuff..."

"Tessie, we're fine..." Nick assured her.

"Yeah! I slept on the floor dozens of times, so I can do it again!" Chase remarked from his spot on the floor. "Yeah, and his head is so thick that if he hits his head if he falls off, it won't get any more damaged." I smirked.

"Yeah- wait, what does that mean?!" Chase asked with a frown. I simply stuck my tongue out in response. Tess looked hesitant. "Are you sure..?" she asked. "Sure we are!" Bonnie optimized, handing her some soup. "Here, eat up."

Tess hesitantly ate the soup while we all relaxed and ate our own soup. It was pretty quiet the entire time... the others should be here eating with us... it's all because of that stupid snowstorm they're not with us right now...

I was yanked out of my thoughts when Tess suddenly winced, leaning forward as she held her stomach. "Oh god...!"

I choked on my soup in surprise as I fumbled with my bowl of soup and looked at her. "W-What is it...?!" I coughed.

Emily looked at Tess. "Tess?! What's wrong?!"

She began to take deep breaths, trying to relax. "I think I just had a contraction...!"

CONTRACTION?!

"W-W-Wha-WHAT?!" I spluttered in shock. Did I hear her right?!

"Contraction!" Tess repeated, this time sounding more pained. I scrambled up to my feet at this. Rebecca had contractions before she...

OH SHIT!

"Oh fuck, does that mean what I think it does?!" I asked. Nick knelt down to Tess, rubbing her back. "Baby, are you sure?" he asked with concern.

"Ye-EEEES!" she screamed, her voice going shrill as she clutched his hand. She's going into labor?! Shit, shit, shit!

Tess began to breathe erratically, her eyes starting to water. "Oh god, oh god, help me!" she pleaded, holding her stomach and cringing. All of us rushed to help her as Bonnie helped her onto one of the beds in the shack.

Nick sat in a chair next to the bed as he held her hand, which she immediately squeezed tightly. She suddenly cringed again. Crap, it be another contraction. "I-Is the baby coming?!" Sarah asked worriedly. Tess let out another groan. "I-I don't know... My water isn't breaking..." she winced. Tess suddenly gasped. "Oh god... Oh shit!" Tess cursed, widening her eyes. "My water...!"

It just broke?!

"Fuck!" Luke swore.

"Now?! Seriously?!" Becca asked. "Dylan! Get some towels!" Emily ordered me. I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the cabinets. Shit, shit, shit, where are they?! I hurriedly opened up a cabinet and a stack of old towels fell out onto me. "Got 'em!" I exclaimed as I rushed back to them. Emily practically yanked them right out of my hands.

Tess suddenly tensed up, trying not to scream.

"Oh god... Oh god..." she panted.

Emily and Bonnie helped get her pants off while Luke covered her legs with a couple towels.

Nick began to look lightheaded. "H-He's coming...?"

"Or she!" Bonnie exclaimed. "This ain't the time to argue over what the gender is!" Luke told them. Chase looked sick. "What do I do?!"

"Stay in the van! Make sure there's enough gas or something!" Luke exclaimed, shooing him away. "Or make sure that no walkers come nearby!"

Tess held Nick's hands sweating heavily. "GET THIS BABY OUT, GET IT OUT OF ME! GAH! SON OF A-!"

"Tess, listen to me, I need you to PUSH!" Bonnie told her. Tess clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut as she did. "AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHH!" she screamed, panting. I cringed at this as I headed over to the windows to keep an eye out for walkers. Damn, does childbirth hurt THAT much?!

"Okay, you're good... You're doing good..." Bonnie assured her. Tess took another deep breath before she pushed again. "Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god!" she screamed.

I tried to ignore the screams as I kept an eye out for any walkers outside. Surprisingly, there were no walkers anywhere near this shack, so we're safe for now. Nick cringed a bit as Tess squeezed his hand so tightly it started to look pale. "You're doing good, Tess!" Bonnie assured her. I gathered some more blankets for when the baby came, which hopefully would be soon. With all this screaming, if it kept up, walkers were bound to show up!

"One more big push!"

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, I heard another wail fill the room.

"WAAAAAAAHHHHH! WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

I froze hearing these wails. Emily and Bonnie gasped. Tess gasped for air as she fell back against the bed. "Oh my god..." she panted.

Bonnie had tears in her eyes as she held up a crying baby with a shocked Nick cutting the umbilical cord. "It's a GIRL!"

A girl?! Then... they were wrong about the gender!

Tess gasped for air as she reached out to the baby while she was being wrapped up in blankets. "My little girl... please, give her to me!" she pleaded in a soft voice, holding her arms out to reach for her. Bonnie gingerly placed the newborn into Tess's arms as it wailed. I stumbled away from the window to see the newest addition to our group. She had black hair, just like Nick's...

"My little girl..." Tess whispered as she held the infant close to her chest while a tear slid down her cheek.

"_Our_ little girl..." Nick told her, stroking her hair. The baby opened her eyes, revealing them to be blue, just like Nick's. "WAAAAAAHHH! WAAAAAH!" she wailed.

"Shh... it's okay, mommy and daddy's here..." Tess comforted her as she cradled the baby. "WAAAH! WAAAaaa..." the wails slowly died down as the child calmed down for her mother. Tess leaned her head back on the pillow looking exhausted belong belief. "You did it, Tess... you did it..." Nick whispered to her, earning a soft smile from her.

I leaned against the wall as a small smile graced my lips. This has got to be one of the only good thing that has happened to us since we were separated from the others. If Anne was here, I'd bet she'd be so happy for Tess...

We've got another reason to keep going now; to protect those we care for.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I laid on my side feeling drowsy as I tried to get some sleep near the fire and tent. Not much had happened today. Clair had been nice enough to let us stay for a couple more nights if we didn't cause any trouble... which I'm pretty sure will be hard for Kenny. Thankfully, AJ managed to have his formula today. He wasn't going to go hungry. We could rest easy knowing that.

Slowly, I closed my eyes as I felt exhaustion beginning to consume me. Some sleep would be nice...

Then, I heard a twig snap, followed by Clementine's cry of surprise. "Wha- hey! What're you doing?! Get away!"

"I'm taking you somewhere safe! You'll be safer with me than with him!" I heard a male voice whisper softly. What the fuck?!

My eyes snapped back open at this as I bolted straight up and looked around frantically. I gasped seeing a skinny man with black hair under a dark green beanie with a light stubble on his face that wore a dark blue coat with dark pants. He had this constant panicked looking expression on his face as he was trying to get Clementine up. "That beard man is a bad man! He can't be trusted with you!" he whispered.

"KENNY! ANNE! KEN-!" Clem tried to yell, but the man covered met mouth, muffling the rest of her words. "MMPH!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I yelled as I jumped to my feet reaching for my gun, but it was near my bag! Damn it! The man looked at me with wide, panicked eyes. "You'll be safe, too!" he insisted.

"Get the fuck away from her!" I growled. "Please, I'm doing this for her safety!" The man whispered. "I'll take you and the baby with us, too. Away from the bad man."

I reached for my hunting knife. "You're not taking anyone anywhere. Now let her go." I growled again. "Please, I'm trying to save her!" he pleaded.

This guy is obviously screwed in the head!

Then, Kenny's loud voice boomed throughout Clair's camp. **"GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"**

The man's expression turned into a slightly more panicked one as Kenny stormed right out of the bushes like a fox stalking its prey with an absolutely furious look on his face. Right on time!

"It's you! The crazy man!" the man exclaimed with fear as he tried to run away. However, Kenny was faster and tackled the mysterious crazy man to the ground, pinning him down and restraining him. Kenny then took his gun out and held it at the man's temple.

Clair slipped out of her tent and jumped seeing the sight. "Kenny, no!" I yelled.

"This fucker tried to kidnap Clem! You want me to go easy on this guy?!" Kenny growled as the look he had when he was holding Arvo hostage appeared on his face. He returned his attention to the man and held him at gunpoint. "Who the fuck do you think you are trying to kidnap a little girl?! Answer me, goddamn it! Or I'll put a bullet in your head! WHY DID YOU DO IT?!"

"I-I-I saw you kill that woman! You're crazy! They're not safe with you!" the man said in a panicked tone. "You're a psychopath!"

"You what?!" I asked. "How did you see him-?!"

"I-I-I saw you at the r-rest stop. I saw him kill her! He's dangerous!"

Wait... If he saw... and if he found us... then...

"You were stalking us?!" I asked angrily. I was sleeping with this crazy guy spying on us as we slept for at least two weeks?! UGH!

"N-No, I was following you so I could save the kids from this psycho!"

Kenny punched him, earning a grunt of pain. "Shut your mouth! I bet you have a group ready to attack us, huh?!"

"I swear, it's just me! Don't kill me!" the man pleaded. Kenny seethed as he kept the gun trained at his temple. "You ain't gonna try to take Clem or AJ away anytime soon..."

"Kenny, don't shoot!" Clair exclaimed. The older man glared at her with his good eye. "Listen here, _girl_, I don't take kindly to people who mess with Clem or AJ! They pay for that!"

"See?! There's the psycho I saw that killed that woman!" the mysterious man exclaimed. "Why were you trying to take them?!" Clair asked as she got her bow ready. "And Kenny killed someone?!"

"I can save them! They'll have a better chance than with this psycho! He killed this lady while they tried to stop them-!" he said quickly, but Kenny silenced him. "Fuck you! I didn't mean to kill her! She wanted a fight! She tricked me into thinking AJ was dead!" he roared at him, punching him at least three times, earning grunts of pain from the man.

This is just like the Arvo situation all over again! I rushed to stop him as I tried to pull his arm away. "Kenny, that's enough!" I gritted out, but he yanked his arm away. "Beating him isn't going to help anything!" Clair added.

"Kenny, stop!" Clementine exclaimed. "We're going to attract walkers with all this noise!"

Kenny punched the man one final time, giving him a bruise on his cheek. "Who the fuck are you? Answer or I'll use this!" Kenny growled as he got his gun back out.

"I-I-I-It's P-Perry..." the man stammered as he tried to crawl away.

"Kenny, don't kill him! Remember what happened with Arvo?!" Clementine exclaimed. "Yeah, that Russian fucker shot you!"

"But you don't need to beat this guy." Clementine reasoned. "We could tie him up. Maybe get more information about why he did this out of him." I said. "But Clem is right. You're going too far with this."

"H-He's crazy! You can't trust him!" Perry stammered.

"Shut up!" Kenny scowled before he spat at the ground before getting up. "Clair. You have any rope to tie this fucker up with?"

Clair frowned at him slightly, but sighed. "I do. But Kenny... I don't think I can trust you now."

Great... Just great.

Kenny simply scowled, but his expression calmed down slightly. "Just tie him up..."

I sighed and took some rope with Clair and we bound Perry's hands. Clair helped him into a sitting position. "Someone watch this asshole. I'm gonna go see if the noise drew any walkers." Kenny muttered as he stalked off. As soon as Kenny was out of sight, Clair sighed. "Why didn't you two tell me that he killed someone?" she asked me.

Sighing, I answered, "Because he was trying to make up for it. He says he didn't want that to happen, but he was so angry... We've been keeping an eye on him ever since then."

"You do that, then, because I don't think that I can trust him anytime soon with what he's done." Clair told me as she crossed her arms before looking at Perry. "What do we do about him?"

"I'll keep an eye on him." I volunteered. "I guess we'll take shifts watchin'..."

Clementine went to comfort a whimpering AJ. "I'll keep watch until Kenny gets back." Clair told me before she walked over to her tent. I heard her muttering to herself, "Geez, I _really_ need to find a different campground. Who knows who'll show up next..."

Sighing again for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day, I sat down on the cold ground and looked at Perry, who simply sat on a log looking at me with that same paranoid look in his eyes before looking back down at the ground.

Something tells me I'll be up for a while watching him tonight...


	38. Penny For Your Thoughts

**Sorry again for the _very_ long wait... I had to get over my writer's block for this story, plus, I was very tired, working on other stories, checking for updates on Telltale Games, and I was enjoying summer vacation while I can. School will be starting again sometime soon, so updates _might_ be slow, but I'll be working on them. Hope this'll make up for it.**

**I**** do not own the Walking Dead or any of its characters. All rights go to their respective characters.**

**I only own Anne Marshall**

**Thank you, ZombieGuy96, DinoWriter23, and Tess Carver (or now Grace Carver), for helping me with part of this.**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I sighed inwardly as I kept my gaze on the new guy, Perry. He didn't seem to notice me as he just stared down at his lap. He's been doing that for the past hour or so. It's starting to get weird...

Kenny was now sleeping while Clair kept watch and Clementine took care of AJ, who was fast asleep.

Perry was being quiet most of the time, except for the occasional whimpering. I was starting to hope that my shift for watching him would end soon.

Just then, he looked to his left away from us seemingly staring at nothing. "Oh... hello, honey..."

I rose an eyebrow as he looked in the direction he was looking at. There was no one there. Nobody at all. He's talking to thin air...

"I didn't mean to act like a stalker... I was just trying to help them, Linda... I wanted to keep them safe from that psycho... "

Linda? Who's Linda?

"You know... I always wanted to have kids with you... I'm sorry I left you like that... I didn't mean to. I panicked." he continued. "But now... I have the chance to protect the kids we always wanted..."

My eyes widened. Yep, he's definitely not right in the head.

Perry's continued mumbling to himself is really starting to put me on edge, despite my best attempts to block out his insane garbles to thin air, some of his heartfelt words still penetrate my stinging eardrums.

"Psycho... must save them... kids... Linda..."

"Ignore him, Anne..." I tell myself, but the minutes seem to slow into a never-ending nightmare and Clair and Clementine are just out of earshot of Perry. So I'm left alone to suffer the effects of his weird rambling to the freezing winter air. I simply concluded in my own mind that he's insane and I just ignore him and not let the clearly disturbed individual get to my head, it'll be alright.

But I can't help myself. The words keep ringing in my head like those loud annoying bells. I groaned. Right now, we should be with our group! But here I am sitting stiffly on the snow coated ground. In the woods God knows where, my new boyfriend and the majority of the group I got along with are missing and possibly... No, I don't even want to contemplate on the fact they could be dead.

And here we are: a new stranger we just met, a baby that needs looking after, a 11 year old girl and not to mention not one unstable man, but most possibly two, and me, with an arm still healing. Great, now we need to keep an eye on BOTH Kenny and Perry. Perry creeps me out a bit, since he was _stalking_ us, for the love of God! I can't believe he was watching us while I was sleeping! And Kenny... I'd hate to admit it, but I feel like he's a ticking time bomb now.

My eye rolled over to Kenny's sleeping form.

Did we really make the right choice? Kenny... back there when he killed Jane, I saw that the guy had snapped completely. Maybe it's Clem and the baby that's holding him together. But what about me? What about Clair? I might as well be the tag-along teenager for all Kenny cares, if the situation got dire, would he really help me?

Would Jane...? Jane... the way she would be so willing to leave poor Sarah in that trailer? Part of me believes choosing Kenny was the right choice, because if the situation got really bad, I can imagine Kenny would fight for the group. Jane would simply leave and...

But that's just it, Jane would leave. She wouldn't come back for revenge, like the way Kenny would. Jane was so willing to leave the group, and I'm sure now that the only reason she came back was for Clementine. Maybe that's why she hid AJ and provoked Kenny, so she could have her to herself? I guess we'll never know...

Now add Clair to the mix, a stranger who appears friendly so far, but appearances and behaviors can be deceiving at times. I've learned that from the time I was on my own. I'm just praying that she's not one of those kinds of people. I remember I had a bad run in with someone who acted nice, but revealed his true colors. NOT a good experience.

Anyway, why is she still awake? If she's been travelling shouldn't she be resting with Kenny now? Me and Clem can keep guard just fine, doesn't she trust us? Not that I can blame her, but It really doesn't make me comfortable, with a crazy guy already to keep watch of, I don't see Clair at the ready to stab me in the back, everything just seems to be putting me on edge right now. Perry's mumbling, Clair and Kenny...

God, I NEED sleep. I'm just feeling paranoid now...

Kenny and Clair can fall out oh so easily, and Kenny would have no qualms about murdering Perry to protect the group, even if Perry did nothing that harmed us. Then that would leave Clem, AJ, me, and him. I'm just praying nothing goes wrong from now one... Shit, I just jinxed it, didn't I?!

"Dylan..." I murmured the name of my boyfriend, as lovingly as Perry calls out for the whoever the long, lost Linda is. All I want to be is back with him and that big secure group we were with... I have to get back to Dylan and Tess and the others. I HAVE to... as soon as we can find some way to find them, of course.

"Hey." came a friendly tone, snapping out of my over-thinking. I turned to face Clair.

"Hiya." I replied.

For a moment there is nothing but silence between us. Well, this is awkward. Clair clicked her tongue in the silence engulfing us, her eyes seemed locked on where Perry is having an animated discussion with a tree.

"Do you think he was nice once?" she asked me.

"Maybe, maybe he still is." I responded, not really sure why the hell I'm defending that nutjob.

"Yeah..." she stated dryly. "Usually in end of the world scenario's, people that talk to themselves aren't all that nice, or maybe they are nice."

I sighed. "Sometimes, I just stay away from people who talk to themselves like that." I told her. "I don't like taking my chances around people like that."

There were several awkward moments of silence between us. I sighed. "I miss my boyfriend..." I admitted. "You have a boyfriend?" Clair asked.

I nodded. "Yeah." I answered. "His name's Dylan... he's really sweet... Haven't seen him for about two weeks now..."

"So, you got separated from the rest of your group?" she inquired, looking at me.

"Yeah" I answered.

"Are they... good people?" she asks, a hint of caution, interlaced in her tone.

"They're all nice." I said on instant defense. "Cautious at first, but nice. As long as you don't piss some of them off or threaten anyone in the group. Sarah's a sweet girl, but she had some anxiety issues, Luke's a really nice guy, Becca just lost her sister but she's tough as nails, and Nick and Tess are a nice couple. Nick is a bit of a hardass when you first meet him, but he's a pretty nice guy once you get to know him. Emily is Tess's sister and is pretty nice. Chase is the idiot of the group, always joking around even when we're in serious situations. Bonnie is the nice one of the group and looks out for the younger ones. Hell, Tess should be having her baby any day now..."

"You have another baby in your group?" Clair asked instantly, cutting short my explanation on my group. Dammit, me and my big, fat mouth!

"Yes..." I reply in a smaller voice, feeling like I've given a wrong answer. Of course it's only natural for Clair to want to learn more about the group were trying to reunite with, but I can't help but feel uncomfortable. I guess I have more trust issues than I thought I do, in a big group it was fine, there was always Dylan, Chase, Tess, Clem or Luke there or any other person to go to. And now out here with two strangers, a deranged Kenny, Clem, and a newborn, the situation suddenly seems so much more serious and bleak.

"Okay, so your group don't seem like crazies." she muttered, letting me know her thoughts on what she thinks on my group. "But Anne, tell me something honestly." Clair muttered. I lean in to see what she has to say. "What is it?" I asked her.

"Clem says they're was a woman with you named Jane." Clair began. "She told me Kenny and Jane got into a fight and you and her decided to save Kenny over Jane. Now from what Clem told me, I gathered that Jane was manipulative, who used the baby for her own ends..."

"The situation just... got out of hand..." I try to explain, but Clair ignored me.

"But Anne, Clem told me Jane was alone for a while. Like I was, Like that guy most likely was." she points at Perry at this point, before turning back to me. "If he can murder that woman like that and after what I saw what he did to that guy today... I don't think I can trust him." she told me.

I sighed again. "I guess we just have to wait and see. For all we know, that guy could be as unpredictable as Kenny, which he kind of already is. I just don't want to..." I glanced at my gun for a moment. "After everything, I'm tired of seeing people die."

Clair nodded. "So am I... I guess we'll just have to deal with it." She then stood up. "I'll take the next shift. You look like you could use some rest."

I nodded. I definitely could get some sleep. Watching a guy talking to himself can kind of make you tired. "Sure thing." I said, attempting to surpress a yawn, but failing horribly. "See you." She bid me goodnight as I laid down on a snow free area near the fire. Darn it, I wish I had a bed... or even the backseat of a truck! Oh well... hopefully sleeping will get my mind off of worrying about too many things...

My eye gently slipped closed, my exhaustion quickly catching up to me as I thought about my friends. Tess, Luke, Sarah... Dylan...

I hope we can find you guys again... please be safe...

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I rested my head against the pillow as I held the newborn in my arms. She was so delicate... so light...

She was my daughter... my baby girl... I'm a mother now...

Slowly, my lips curved into a soft smile as I looked at her sleeping face. She looked so peaceful... so hopeful...

Hope... Hope! I'll call her Hope! Hope Coleen Carver. Has a nice ring to it.

"Hope... I love you, sweetie..." I whispered to her. "Mommy will protect you... so will your Daddy..."

Her little face scrunched up and she let out a wail before beginning to cry. "Aww... are you hungry, sweetie? Here..."

I placed a blanket over my chest and held the baby to my bosom. She sucked gently to get her meal and I closed my eyes. Now... we have to worry about getting supplies that will help Hope survive... baby bottles, baby formula, baby diapers, blankets... not to mention AJ, if he's alive...

I'm worried for him... he, Anne, and Clem, if they're still alive, are possibly in Kenny's care now. Kenny's been unstable ever since Sarita died. He's been acting irrationally and acting as if he was the leader of the group. At least he's not like my father was. I glanced down at the newborn in my arms as she got her meal. I'm so relieved she'll never see that monster of a man. He had no right to call himself a grandfather after all the shit he put us through. Because of him... Hope will never know her grandmother...

I closed my eyes. Mom... I miss you so much... I'm so sorry we couldn't save you... at least you're in a better place.

Nick sat next to me wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "Look at her... she's beautiful... just like you..." he smiled. I smiled softly and kissed his cheek. "Looks like she got her good looks from you." I told him. "I'm sure boys are gonna be drooling over her when she gets older." he joked. "I'm gonna make sure no boy gets to her, of course."

"Sheesh, she's only been in this world for three hours and you're already going into overprotective daddy mode." I giggled, but my smile fell. "We're gonna have to do all we can to protect her. The walkers will be even more dangerous now."

Nick nodded. "There is no way in hell I am gonna let her, you, or anyone else in our group end up like Mom or Pete." he told me with a determined look.

"Or my mother... or Carlos, Shel, or... Rebecca..." I trailed off. "Nick... I'm scared." I admitted. "What if... what if I end up like Rebecca? What if Hope doesn't have a mother?"

"Tess, we have the meds we need this time. We have a safer place for you to rest. Rebecca got sick and lost too much blood. But we have the supplies we need this time. I promise you that we'll do everything we can to make sure you're gonna be okay." Nick told me.

Slowly, my fear went down just a bit. Nick truly meant what he said... he cares so much... I can't die... I don't know what Nick would do if I ever died... Hell, I don't know what I'd do if Nick died. I love him so much...

I kissed him on the lips and he kissed me back. I felt bliss in this moment. Heh, bliss is rare nowadays. I better enjoy this while I can...

A whine interrupted our kiss. We looked down and noticed little Hope was full. "Looks like she doesn't want us kissing." Nick chuckled. I smiled softly and gently patted her back, burping her. She's our little girl... we're gonna do everything we can to make sure she's safe. I will _not_ let anything hurt her, no matter what. "Hey, can I hold her?" Nick requested eagerly. I smiled in reply. "You're her father. Of course you can."

Gingerly, I handed the little blessing to Nick. He gently cradled our daughter in his arms. "Hi there... I'm your daddy... Daddy's gonna take good care of you. I promise..." he said to her softly. Hope cooed softly in response. I had to keep from squealing. This was too cute! Tough Nicky is being such a softie right now! I leaned on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

Welcome to the world, Hope...

* * *

**Dylan's POV**

_I found myself on a swing in a park. I blinked and looked around. Where... hey, this is the park we used to hang out at when we were kids! But... why am I here?_

_I saw kids running around as if nothing was wrong. No sign of any walkers... no psychopaths..._

_It's as if nothing bad had ever happened!  
_

_"Hey, Dylan." I heard a voice say to me. My eyes widened and I looked to my left. I gasped. It was Anne! But... she looked the way she did when we were eight. Short hair, the baggy jacket and shirt, the shorts..._

_"Wanna go play on the monkey bars?" she asked me with a smile. Monkey bars?_

_"Um... sure." I replied, unsure how to reply. "Dylan." I heard another voice say to me. I looked to my right and my heart almost stopped. Rebecca Townley was sitting on the swing next to me! She looked the same way before she was bit..._

_"Dylan, you ready to go on a supply run?" she asked me. My eyes widened before I looked around, seeing that the kids had suddenly vanished into thin air. Wait... the last supply run we ever went on together was the one she got bit on! _

_"N-No..." I stammered. I didn't want to relive that moment ever again!_

_"Dylan..." I looked to my left and noticed that Anne was still next to me, but she looked the way she did today. She looked at me with a sad, green eye. "Why did you leave me?" she asked me with a hurt look. My eyes widened. "Annie, I swear to god, I didn't want to! I-I had no choice!" I told her. Her heartbroken expression made me feel even worse. I looked back to my left, but noticed Rebecca was gone. Vanished into thin air, just like the kids._

_"Rebecca...? Where'd you-?" I asked with surprise. I then heard a snarl. An all too familiar hiss and snarl. Slowly, I turned around. Anne was still sitting next to me... but she was a WALKER! Her skin was pale and rotten, her lips were curled into a snarl, her hair was matted, and her beautiful eyes were white and soulless. No... NO! It was a nightmare come true! The girl I loved was a walker! _

_"Oh god, NO!" I exclaimed with horror. "PLEASE, NO!" How could this be?!_

_The undead Anne snarled and lunged at me, forcing me off the swing. As I landed on the ground, she landed on top of me, trying to tear my flesh off. I struggled to push her off me as she snarled. No, no, no, no! Not her! Please, not Annie!_

_"ANNIE!" I screamed with horror as my strength was starting to fail me. "NO!"_

_Her teeth was inches away at my throat, ready to bite into it-_

* * *

I sat up with a gasp, panting heavily. My hand instantly flew up to my throat, my eyes wide with fear as I looked around. I was back in the shack with the others, who were fast asleep now. Oh thank god, it was just a dream!

"Dylan?"

I looked to my right and saw Luke was awake looking at me with concern. "You okay, man?"

I gulped as I tried to regain my breath, shaking my head. "N-No... I had a nightmare..."

"What about?" Luke asked me.

I looked down at my lap. "Anne was in it... but she was dead... and she was a walker..."

I had a hard time telling in the dark, but I'm sure he had a look of sympathy. "She... she was so close to biting my throat..." I shuddered. Even though it was a dream, I don't think I can get that image out of my mind anytime soon. "Luke... do you... do you think she's... dead?"

"If she's with Kenny, then she should be okay." Luke replied. "Kenny might have a few loose screws, but I don't think he's the guy to let his group down."

I took a deep breath. "Kenny's been losing it. I'm not sure if he's safe for her, Clem, and AJ to be around anymore." I admitted.

"Kenny's tough, so if Anne was in trouble, I'm sure he'd help her." Luke assured me. I still wasn't sure. I was still nervous. What if... what if Anne hadn't made it?

Luke looked down. "You thinkin' bout Jane?" I asked him. He nodded reluctantly. "Yeah... How could someone do that to her?" he asked.

"I don't know..." I answered honestly. Luke stretched his legs. "Maybe... maybe she was attacked by bandits and bought Kenny, Anne, Clem, and AJ some time to escape?" he asked, a sad expression on his face. I had my doubts, but I said, "Maybe."

I saw signs of a struggle when we stopped at that rest stop... so maybe she did fight off some bandits...

Luke looked down again. "At least someone prevented her from coming back..." he muttered. "Yeah." I said with a nod. "Whoever did that, that was a good choice. She won't be suffering now. I just hope that the others out there are okay and that we'll find them soon..."

"I hope so too, kid... Clem and Kenny are tough. So is Anne. So I'm sure they're fine out there." Luke told me. "We should get some sleep." he added as he laid down in the spot he was sleeping in. I laid back on the blanket that was under me. I stared up blankly at the ceiling, not able to get some sleep yet. The nightmare was still very visible in my mind...

It was worse than most of the games Chase played back then. How the hell could he sleep after the one with the killer toys?

It seemed so real... the way that Anne looked in the dream... they way she looked at me with those soulless walker eyes...

I just prayed it would never happen and that she was alive. My eyes began to droop and I started to get lost in my thoughts as I began to drift off back to sleep.

Anne... if you're alive... please, PLEASE be okay...


	39. Uncertain Future

**Yeah... sorry I haven't updated this in so long. I was working on some other stories. I had help on this chapter, so thank you to those who helped me. I've also got final exams coming up next week, plus a trip to a neurologist for my eyes, so I might not be updating until Christmas Break. High school can be so stressful. At least the writer's block is gone for now. I _did_ get a bit hyped up by the Michonne trailer, so it got me back in the mood to return to this. Sucks we have to wait till February, though. Hopefully, this chapter will make it up to you guys for the long wait. **

**This is a birthday gift to I heart Lyoko. Happy Birthday, bud!**

**I do not own the Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**I only own Anne Marshall**

* * *

**Clair's POV**

I slowly cracked open my eyes, seeing Windrun sniffing my face. I reached up and gently pet his nose. "Morning, Windrun..." I greeted quietly with a soft smile.

He snorted in reply and backed up a step so I could sit up. Kenny had taken watch when I was getting tired. I'm kind of glad he did, because if I had stayed up any longer, I would have fallen right over fast asleep.

I noticed that Perry's head was slumped over on the tree he was tied to. He had fallen asleep as well. I guess that him talking to himself the whole night must have exhausted him.

"Morning..." I heard Clementine greet me. She was sitting nearby cradling the sleeping baby in her arms. "Hi there." I replied as I got up. I noticed Anne laying on the ground fast asleep. Guess she was more tired than all of us.

The conversation from last night popped back into my head. She said that her group were good people. Did she mean it? And about Kenny... I still don't trust him yet. He's too unpredictable. He killed a woman, but they told me the woman put the baby, AJ, in danger of freezing. The woman was manipulative, from what they told me. I just hope that a situation like that never happens again.

"How's the baby?" I asked Clementine. She glanced down at him before replying, "He's doing alright. The blanket's keeping him warm. But we're gonna have to look for more supplies soon. Like formula."

I nodded. "Formula's important for him. Let's just hope the formula lasts for a while."

Kenny looked over at us. "Mornin', you two..." he greeted. "I see Miss Bandana over there is still out."

"She was pretty tired last night." I pointed out, keeping the conversation we had out of it. "Well, somebody better wake her up. We're gonna have to switch spots for watching, soon."

I knelt down and gently shook Anne's shoulder, but she just rolled over and kept sleeping. "Dylan... let's go stop those stupid pirates... then we can kiss..." she muttered in her sleep. Oh boy...

A snicker escaped my lips.

"Oh god." Kenny groaned.

Clementine made a face before she gently handed AJ to Kenny. "I got this." she told me before she walked over to some snow and scooped up a handful of snow. She walked back over to Anne and hovered over her before dropping the cold snow on her face. A second later, Anne jolted and thrashed around a bit. "What the fuck?!" the teen swore. Clementine smirked and crossed her arms. "Mornin', sleepyhead." Kenny smirked. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at the situation.

Anne groaned as she sat up and wiped the snow off her face. "What was that for?!"

"Couldn't think of any other way to get you up." she shrugged. Anne grumbled to herself. "Well, I'm up now. And I was having such a good dream..." she muttered. "Yeah, we could hear." Kenny smirked. Anne's visible eye widened in surprise before she seemed to shrink into her leather jacket. I'm not gonna ask what she was dreaming about, because I have a _pretty_ good idea what it was. Anne then turned and looked at the sleeping, tied up man. "What're we gonna do about him?" she wondered out loud.

Kenny frowned and crossed his arms. "Fucker was stalking us. He tried to take Clem away! I say we leave his ass there to rot."

I frowned. "Kenny, we don't even know that much about him. He's probably just as scared as we are right now."

Kenny shook his head. "Listen, kid. You might be okay with having a psycho near us, but I'm not."

"We could always tie him to Windrun. That way he can't get away." I suggested.

Kenny glared at me. "So you're handing one jackass to another?" Windrun turned and bit him on the shoulder. "OW! Son of a-!" Kenny yelped. "He just bit me!"

"I suggest you don't call him that." I shrugged.

"Stupid horse." Kenny grumbled to himself as he trudged away. Anne smiled a bit at that. I then noticed that Perry had stirred awake. He noticed that I was staring at him. "Hello..." he muttered, yawning.

"Morning." I greeted, though I was still wary of him. I walked over to him. "We... heard you talking last night." I admitted. "I was talking to Linda." he replied.

"Who's Linda...?" I asked cautiously. His face fell as he looked down at his lap. "My girlfriend..." he muttered in reply. I had a strong feeling about what happened to her. "Was... was she nice? If you don't mind me asking."

"Yes... she was nice. B-But I didn't mean to leave her..." he stammered. "What happened?" I turned and saw Clem had joined us. Perry shook his head. "I-I panicked... I ran..." he muttered. He shut his eyes and shook his head. "I-I-I see her... I didn't mean to leave her..."

I put my hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you didn't."

"Linda would have wanted to rescue them from that guy, too..." Perry muttered. That I'm still in debate about.

"Hey. What're you doing?" I looked back to see Kenny. "Just talking to him." I answered the older man.

"Well, get away from him!"

"Kenny, there's nothing wrong with talking to him." I frowned. The older man trudged over to us."This guy is not safe to be around. You saw what he tried to do, so who knows what he'll try next? Look, I'm just trying to keep us safe." Kenny frowned.

I looked at him. "I know, but we should at least know his story."

"He lost someone." Clem told him. Kenny shook his head. "The last guy that lost someone and some of our group felt bad for shot Clementine in an attempt to kill her."

"I'd never do that!" Perry protested. "Hey, I wasn't talking to you." Kenny frowned at Perry as he crossed his arms. I sighed. "Kenny, we don't know how bad he is until we talk to him. Judging a book by its cover isn't going to help us."

Kenny frowned at me. "Give me one good reason why we should take him."

I shrugged. "In case we run into a herd? Let them have him? Unless you'd rather be the main course."

"Look, I'm not gonna say I told ya so when that guy tries to pull something again." Kenny frowned.

"Kenny, I think we should give him a chance." Clementine tried. Kenny glanced at her. "And what if the next bullet goes through your head?" he asked her, the anger in his voice slightly leaving. "Kenny. I don't want another Arvo situation to happen." Clementine told him, shaking her head. I rose an eyebrow. They keep mentioning this Arvo, but who is he?

"That was kind of your fault." Anne told Kenny as she crossed her arms. "He got Shel killed. He led us over a FROZEN LAKE and attempted to leave us for dead." Kenny told her.

"He might have, but he got us to shelter." Clementine said.

"And food." Anne added.

"One can of fucking chili." Kenny scowled. "I'm not defending that bastard, but you did beat the crap out of him." Anne pointed out.

"He got Shel killed!" Kenny defended himself. "Becca lost her sister cause of him!"

"Guys, don't fight!" Clementine spoke up. "We've all made mistakes." I added.

Kenny pointed a finger at me. "You stay out of this! You weren't there when it happened, so you don't get it!"

"You're right. I don't get it. But what I do get is that this man is just as scared as we are right now and you're making it worse by lashing out at him." I nodded.

Anne nodded from where she sat. "Clair does have a point." she agreed. "Threatening him and treating him like shit is only gonna make this worse."

"Kenny, can we give him a chance? Please? If he's like you say he is, we can decide what to do with him." Clementine pleaded.

Kenny looked at her for a moment, then sighed. "Alright... but we'll keep an eye on him." he relented. He then looked at Perry. "And you, if you try anything else or hurt them, I will beat the shit out of you!" he threatened.

Perry just stayed silent. Kenny glared at me. "Tie him to your mule and let's go!" he ordered. I shook my head. "No, not yet."

"What the hell are you waiting for?!" he snapped at me. I shook my head, starting to get tired of his attitude. "For one, I need to pack my things up. Plus, your eye looks like it needs to be treated." I told him. Anne sighed, getting up to her feet. Kenny grumbled to himself. "Whatever... but be quick about it. We can't be stayin' out here in the open."

I shook my head as I turned to start packing. He has issues...

* * *

**Anne's POV**

"You got any medical supplies?" I asked Clair. She responded by tossing me a bottle of peroxide and I caught it. "Thanks. Sorry about earlier."

"It's okay. But Kenny seriously needs to watch his temper." Clair told me as I headed over to Kenny. The older man looked up at me, taking off his hat with a sigh. "You know how to do this, right?"

I shook my head. "Nope, at least not how to clean an eye wound. I listened to some things that Carlos said while at the cabin." I answered truthfully. This didn't seem to help him at all. "Well, this should go smoothly." he deadpanned. "Just don't squirm." I retorted before I carefully removed Kenny's bandages as best as I could. I grimaced at the sight. Eww... well, it's looking a little better... sorta.

I pulled out a rag that we had from our last supplies and poured a bit of peroxide on it.

"Look, just... don't press down too hard." he requested. I shook my head before I dabbed the cloth on his wound. Immediately, he hissed in pain. "Fuuuuuccck..." he groaned. I could hear some hissing coming from the wound. Guess the peroxide is working, then. "You're pressing too hard!" he winced.

"Sorry." I apologized, dabbing the wound as lightly as I could. "Thinkin' about gettin' an eyepatch?" I asked.

"If this eye really is useless, then maybe."

Once the wound seemed clean enough, I grabbed one of the sets of fresh bandages that we had and wrapped it around his eye. "There we go. That tight enough?" I questioned him. Kenny then sighed as he looked at Perry. "That guy just ain't right in the head." he muttered, placing his cap back atop his head.

"Sometimes, I wonder if any of us are." I sighed.

"I think that too, sometimes..."

I blinked with surprise at that as I set the bottle of peroxide down. I hadn't expected hearing _that_ coming from him. "I know I was out of line in that situation with Jane... everything just went black... I just couldn't control myself. "I thought AJ was dead... Jane tricked us all."

"What you did was still out of line." I told him.

"Would you have done the same if you thought Dylan was dead?" Kenny muttered. My eye widened in surprise. "I... I don't know." I replied truthfully. "I'm sorry I did that. But I did it for Clem and AJ. AJ can't die. He just can't." Kenny shook his head.

I nodded. "Alvie is not gonna die on our watch."

"Just keep him away from that guy." Kenny requested, looking at Perry with a frown on his features. "We don't know much about him except he's a stalker."

"Until he gives us a reason to believe he's friendly, AJ won't go anywhere near him." I said. "Thanks, Anne. Let me see your arm. It probably needs cleaned, too."

I sighed. Although it was healing, that glass cut still hurt a bit. I handed Kenny the peroxide and I took off my leather jacket, shivering as I rolled up my sleeve and took the bandage off. Well... the cut doesn't look so bad now. Kenny poured some peroxide on a cloth and began to clean the cut. I bit my lip, trying not to hiss, but it really stung!

"Shit..." I winced, but he kept cleaning it. "There we go." He rebandaged it. I slipped my jacket back on, shivering a bit. "It stings..." I muttered.

"At least it's clean." Kenny then looked at Clair. "Okay, get him onto tied to the pony and let's go."

"Not yet." Clair sighed, shaking her head. "It takes a while to get packed up and take down a tent, you know." she added. Kenny grumbled with annoyance before he trudged over, starting to pick up some of the supplies. I also began helping. I was rolling up a sleeping bag when Windrun licked me across the face again. I grimaced with disgust. "Would you stop that, please?!" I groaned at the horse. I heard Clementine and Clair snickering at that. "Oh, shut up..." I muttered, rolling my visible eye as I resumed packing. Windrun then started sniffing me. "Uh... nice horsey?" I tried, edging away so I could keep packing up. However, he just kept sniffing me.

"Will you stop that?!" I finally snapped. The horse only let out a snort in response. "Clair, your horse is bugging me." I complained. "Just leave him be." she shrugged, slinging a bag over her shoulder.

"He won't leave me be." I groaned.

"He will. Eventually."

I just groaned again. "Dammit..." So I just did my best to ignore the stupid horse. As Clair loaded some stuff onto Windrun, I noticed he held still for her. "Looks like he'll only listen to you." I noted.

"He has his own mind." Clair explained. "He does as he pleases."

"That why he bit Kenny when he called him a jackass?" I asked. Clair nodded. "Windrun's a lot smarter than people would give him credit for."

Windrun sniffed my hair before trying to nibble on it. "Hey, not the hair!" I told him as I jerked my head away. He reached again and this time, licked me across the face _again_. "EW!" I grimaced with disgust. Clem and Clair laughed at my predicament while Kenny cracked a smile. "Not funny!" I snapped at them.

"Yeah, it is..." Kenny smirked. I rolled my eyes as I loaded some of my things onto Windrun. I think we were just about done packing, now.

Kenny then grabbed Perry. "Look, if you try anything, I'm gonna be there to make sure you won't get away with it." he threatened before he let go and picked up the bag that contained the tent.

I shook my head as we loaded the last of our things, but I paused when I heard something... it sounded like feet shuffling... and snarls...

Windrun must've heard it, too. "Shit." I swore before I got up. "Guys, we gotta hurry. Clementine, keep AJ close to you!"

I rushed over to Perry as I could hear the snarling of a pair of walkers grow louder. Windrun pawed at the ground with his hoof, trying to get loose. I rushed to Perry, trying to untie him, but those ropes were just too damn tight!

Clair ran over to my side, pulling a knife out. I pulled out my hunting knife as well and we both started to cut through the ropes. "Hurry!" Clem called. Perry looked at the walkers frantically as the two of us sawed through the ropes as fast as we could.

Finally, the last rope fell at last, but his hands were still bound. "Come on!" Clair helped him up and we quickly ran back to the others. Kenny was now shooting at the walkers. "Clem! Get on the donkey!" he ordered. Windrun snorted at him at that as Clair helped Clementine onto the horse and was then handed AJ to her. "Let's go!" she called to us.

Clair stabbed a walker in the head. I managed to stab one as well before Kenny, Clair, Perry, Kenny, and I took off running. Kenny slapped Windrun on the rear to get him running. Windrun let out a whinny at this. "Hey, don't smack him!" Clair snapped at Kenny before looking towards Windrun. "Yah!"

Windrun took off running at that while Clementine held onto him and the baby tightly. Quickly, we ran after them as fast as we could while the walkers limped after us. I didn't know how close they were to us, but I didn't dare to look back.

* * *

**Dylan's POV**

"All right, everyone, time to get up."

I opened my eyes groggily to see Luke standing in the middle of the room, nudging people with his foot. Ugh...what time is it... wish I had a damn watch.

His voice answered my thoughts as he moved to nudge a sleeping Bonnie on the floor. "Come on, Bonnie. It's almost dawn. We gotta go."

Bonnie had dug herself deeper into where she was sleeping. "Just... five more minutes..." she muttered tiredly. Luke sighed before moving onto Nick. "Hey man...You and Tess need to get up, get in the van. Stock up what we found in here and drive. This doesn't look like the safest place to be after a baby..." He glanced at the sleeping Hope, who was placed in the middle of the couple.

Tess was the first one to open her eyes. She took in a breath and slowly sat up, bringing the baby with her. "At least we don't have to walk." she commented. Nick snored a bit, still deeply asleep. I rolled my eyes. That man's a log when it comes to sleeping.

"I'll get him up. Could you hold her?" She asked Luke, holding the baby out. The man scratched the back of his head.

"Ummm..."

Tess sighed. "Don't worry, she's Nick's. You're the godfather anyway." she told him. Luke hestitantly took Hope into his arms. Chase was snoring a bit as he slept on. Well, looks like he and Nick have something in common. Where's an airhorn when ya need one?

Tess groaned as she stood up. "Nick, baby, time to get up..." She shook him. He waved her off, turning over.

"No... I'm sleepin'." He replied tiredly. Tess let out a sigh, putting a blanket around her shoulders. "Come on, Nick. Our baby needs a crib."

At that, Nick rolled over and opened one eye groggily. "Hope...?"

"Yes, Hope. Your daughter needs a crib to lay in." Tess nodded. Nick sat up with a sigh, stretching. "Okay, I'm up... let's get some food along the way, 'kay? I'm starvin'..." he muttered. Tess grabbed his arm and hoisted him up. "Yeah, if we can spare some..."

Tess then looked at Chase. "Dylan, see if you can wake him up."

I tried to shake him awake. "Hey, Chase, wake up..."

Chase rolled over and ignored me, sleeping on. I smacked the back of his head. "Come on! We have to get Hope to a safe place." I sighed. Chase grunted and cracked an eye open. "Come on... Let's go, man. Find food..." I told him. Chase groaned and slowly sat up. "Kay... just... gimme a minute...?" he requested, stretching.

Hope then cooed, waking up and she opened her blue eyes. Nick helped a tired Tess stand as we started gathering our supplies. Becca was still being quiet as we piled into the van with our things along what we had found. Ever since Shel's death, she's rarely been saying a word...

Bonnie then pulled me out of my thoughts by handing our rations for breakfast. Sarah yawned as she rested her head on Bonnie's shoulder. I took a bite of my rations, which satisfied my hunger a bit. Man, my stomach is growling _so_ loud right now.

It was Nick's turn to drive, so Like had to sit with Tess so they could take turns holding the baby.

Tess looked at me and smiled. "Hungry?"

I nodded in reply. Geez, is my stomach really growling that loudly? I looked down at the granola bar in my hand. Wish I could have a hot dish of shrimp...

Tess then sighed and leaned against the door, closing her eyes. "If nobody minds, I'm gonna try and sleep." she yawned groggily. Nick glanced at her, smiling a bit. "Let me know if we need to stop." he requested. She nodded, nodding off. "Of... course..." she mumbled.

Luke was looking a bit uncomfortable holding Hope. "Um... does anyone else wanna hold her?" he offered awkwardly. Bonnie volunteered. "I'll do it." she told him before he handed her the infant gently. She smiled down at Hope as the baby kept her eyes closed. "Aww, such a pretty little thing..."

Hope yawned and kept her eyes shut. "Aww..." Chase smiled softly, commenting, "AJ will have a playmate..."

I cracked a smile at that. Yeah... when we find them again, if AJ's alive, he and Hope will be able to play together...

I glanced out the back door, watching the snow covered plains as we drove down the road. I could catch a few signs of walkers stumbling around, going nowhere whatsoever. Well, at least we can outrun them right now. Becca just had a distant expression as she stared out the window on her side, not even glacing at us. I could see Emily shooting her a worried expression before looking back down at her lap.

Sighing, I moved a bit to get into a comfortable position whiel keeping my gun close to me, just in case. Looks like we'll be in here a while again. Might as well make ourselves comfortable the best we can.


	40. Clear Shot

**Sorry about the late update again. Writer's block for Walking Dead hit me pretty bad. School's also been more of a pain. I also had to have surgery to correct my lazy eye since it was causing headaches for me and I was also getting some tests that were thrown at me over and done with. Now that I saw the season finale of Walking Dead, it inspired me to resume writing BTWAH.**

**Thank you to I heart Lyoko and DinoWriter23 for helping me with part of this chapter.**

**I do not own the Walking Dead or any of its characters.**

**I only own Anne Marshall**

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I panted as we ran through the forest. The snarls had died down a while ago, but we had kept running. I lost track of how long we had been jogging. Maybe fifteen... twenty minutes? Maybe more?

Clementine still held onto AJ as they were carried by Windrun. Kenny was keeping his eye on Perry, who's hands were still bound. Clair was jogging by my side.

Kenny was still suspicious about Perry. I don't blame him, but he needs to lay off. We need to work together right now...

All of us eventually paused near some trees, intending to take a short rest before we keep moving.

I panted as I tried to get some air into my lungs from all that running. I hunched over a bit, looking around for any signs of walkers as I did. I didn't hear any snarls or groans.

Perry breathed heavily as he tried to regain his breath. "A-Are they still following us...?" Perry panted.

"Shut the fuck up!" Kenny quietly hissed, pacing our position and taking quick glances around the area. I was pretty sure we were alone... at least, for the moment. I took a deep breath as I stood back up again. "Let's rest a few minutes, guys."

Windrun let out a snicker and slowed down. "I think he agrees." Clair said, panting.

"AJ's pretty tired too... He could use the rest." Clementine pointed out. AJ, as if on cue, gave a silent yawn. Aww...

"I'll go get some firewood..." Kenny frowned.

Before we could say something he was already walking away, quietly cursing Perry. I placed a hand on my hip. Sure, that guy tried to take Clem, but was his head in the right place? This dude had been stalking us for who knows how long and he was even hallucinating last night. He needed to be kept away from her...

Kenny soon came back with a few broken sticks, frowning as he put them in a pile at the center of our temporary encampment. "This is fuckin' bullshit... the wood is all wet, and I don't got anything to light it."

I crossed my arms as he began to search for something to start a campfire with. "Well, maybe we could move to a different place? Find a shed, maybe?"

"You see one anywhere around here...?" I didn't respond to his question. "That's what I thought."

"Well, what else do you suggest, huh?" I retorted at Kenny. "I don't know! Fuck, I don't know!" Kenny frowned as he struggled with a lighter that he managed to find.

"We can't stay here for long. We could rest here for maybe a few minutes... then we should keep moving. Those dead ones might be close." Clair pointed out. Kenny, in a moment of frustration, stood up and kicked the branches, scattering them.

AJ scrunched up his face and began to whine at the sudden noise. "Kenny, stop! You're scaring AJ!" Clementine scolded.

Kenny paused at that and slowly calmed down. "Sorry..."

Clementine didn't reply as she gently rocked AJ, trying to calm him down. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as Clair helped Clementine and AJ off of Windrun. "... maybe we could look for a road? Follow it and see if we can find Dylan and the others?"

"Yeah, we can check. They couldn't have gotten very far, right?" Clementine asked. "Clem, I don't think there's a road anywhere near here." Kenny said, shaking his head.

"There could be. We have to try, Kenny." Clementine replied with a shrug. Kenny then picked up the branches and tried to get the lighter to work again, but failed. He glanced over at my guitar on my back.

... oh, he better not be thinking what I think he's thinking!

As he slowly stood up, I took a step back. "Hey, hey, hey! NOT my guitar!"

"Anne, c'mon, it's the only dry wood in the area." Kenny frowned.

"NO." I insisted. This thing was one of the only few things I could use to entertain myself during this shit! I wasn't gonna let him burn it!

Kenny frowned, crossing his arms. "Those twigs there are wet. We won't get a good fire with that."

"Guys, come on, please don't fight." Clementine said, getting in between us. "We need to rest for a few. That's all."

A cold breeze then blew through the area. I shivered, rubbing my arms to provide myself some warmth. Alright, maybe a leather jacket isn't the best type of clothing to use for warmth...

Clair rummaged through the supplies on Windrun's back. "Know I have some somewhere..."

I walked over to her. "What are you looking for?" I asked the survivor. "Something I made. Aha!" She pulled out...

I rose an eyebrow. "Why do you have a fur blanket?"

"To keep warm. I was attacked by a bear, and managed to kill it. Managed to get some good, warm material from it."

I pinched my nose. It stunk. Wasn't sure if I'd rather be cold or endure the smell. "Hey, beggars can't be choosers. And last time I checked, trying to hit the mall for something warm is a bad idea now." Clair shrugged.

"You killed a bear by yourself?" Clementine asked with surprise.

"Well, a rotten tree branch to the head may have helped. I just put it out of its misery."

"Oh..." Clem realized. With a sigh, I accepted the fur blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders. It was smelly, but at least it kept the cold out. "Thanks..." I told her.

Clair nodded. I looked around the area again. No sign of any walkers, still...

We would need to get a move on, but right now Kenny was too angry to get moving. "Goddamn it!" he muttered to himself, finally giving up on trying to get the lighter to work. "Calm down, Kenny." Clementine told him.

Kenny turned to face her. "Clem, this lighter is a piece of shit. I can't get a goddamn fire started."

"We're not staying here for long, anyway." Clem pointed out. Perry shifted weight on his feet as he kept his eyes trained on the ground. Kenny just grumbled under his breath. "Maybe we can find some coats later if it gets worse." he muttered.

I looked at Clair. "Know anywhere where we could find some coats?"

"Not unless you wanna risk running into a herd of walkers." She looked at me. "My rule for staying alive: Don't go near populated areas. Or areas that were populated."

I crossed my arms under the blanket. "So you isolate yourself from everyone?"

"I didn't say that." she said. "I just don't go into towns or cities."

"That must be incredibly difficult to do." I stated.

"You have no idea."

"Maybe there's a convenience store somewhere near here. Y'know, like a gift shop or something. Hey, you." Kenny jabbed at Perry. "While you were stalkin' us, did you see any types of stores?"

"N-No... stuck to the forest..." he answered.

"I sometimes have to use roads when traveling." Clair admitted. Pointing, she added, "See those power lines? I use them to tell me if I'm close to civilization or not. There should be a road nearby. Hopefully a few places for food and clothes."

I looked at her. "I thought you avoided those places."

"I do, but I can tell all of you are going to go there regardless of what I say." she shrugged.

"Well, we can't stay out in the cold forever." Kenny retorted as he pocketed the lighter.

She shrugged. "True. And I don't think there's another bear anywhere nearby."

Clementine adjusted her hold on AJ. "It's a risk we're going to have to take. For AJ. He can't stay in the cold."

Clair nodded, agreeing with her. "Then we'd better get going."

We started picking up the things we set down during the time we rested, then we were on our way again, this time with Clair joining us. Windrun trotted slowly by our side while Kenny had Perry walk. I kept the blanket on me. Maybe we could take turns using this thing...

I looked up at the power lines as we walked. Many of them looked rotten and rusty. Not surprising, since they've been in a lot of weather with no one to make sure they were working. "So, what's your plan?" Clair asked us.

"Go in, get what we need, get out." I said. "If we find a store, though."

"First, we need to find a road. And then we follow it, see where it goes, then check out any buildings. Steer clear of walkers." Kenny said. "But how will we know which way to go?" Clem asked.

"That's easy." Clair said. "Go in the direction the piled-up cars were leaving."

I nodded with agreement. "Sounds like a plan."

I looked back forward as we trekked through the forest. I couldn't help but feel tense. Where were the walkers? My hand rested on the knife I had, just in case.

Kenny was still dragging Perry with him. Perry was mumbling to himself again, about Linda. "Hey, shut your trap." Kenny growled. Perry must have been in his own little world again, cause he kept mumbling quietly. "Linda... I-I can keep them safe..."

The way Perry was mumbling to himself constantly made me feel uneasy. I then noticed the trees seemed to be thinning. We must be getting towards the end of these woods. Finally, I heard Windrun's hooves on a street. And I saw some abandoned cars. Well, it was nice to see a road again after a few days.

We headed in the direction the cars were coming from. I hope Clair's theory about a store possibly being in this direction was true.

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I held Hope in my arms as she slept. She had been wrapped up in a different blanket to keep her warm. I had no idea how long we'd been driving, now. In fact, I just woke up about ten minutes ago.

I still felt a little sore from giving birth to her. God, I wish we had some painkillers right now. "Are you okay?" Sarah asked me from where she sat.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm alright." I told her. Truth be told, I really wasn't.

I looked up at Nick, who was still driving. His eyes narrowed as he slowed the van down. "You have got to be kidding me..."

"What? What is it?" I asked my boyfriend.

"Dammit, there's a car buildup in the road." he frowned. "We're gonna have to drive around."

"Maybe we could push some outta the way, instead?" Chase suggested.

"You're welcome to try." Nick growled. Chase stepped out with Luke and Dylan. Through the front window, I saw them heading over to an SUV and they began to push it.

* * *

**Dylan's POV**

Fuck, this thing was heavy!

"Put your back into it, guys." Luke told us.

"What do you think we're doing?" I retorted, straining. The wheels on the SUV started to move a bit. "Come on, push it some more!" Chase told us.

I dug my feet into the ground in order to gain some leverage as I put more effort into the pushing.

Finally, after about ten more seconds of pushing, it moved. We managed to push it out of the way... only to find another car in the path.

"Bitch nuts." Chase groaned.

I sighed with frustration. Great, now we had to get another vehicle out of the way. It was either that or risk driving around. All of us then put our backs to it and kept trying to push it out of the way, eventually getting it out of the way entirely.

As we moved onto the next vehicle, we prepared to push it again. I just hope there wasn't anything heavy in it. I heard Chase scream and jump back, tripping and landing on the ground from fright. My eyes widened and I whirled around, but was relieved to see my brother was alright.

"What happened?!" Luke asked.

I looked and saw a walker hissing and pressing its face against the window form the inside. "Fucking walker nearly gave me a heart attack!" Chase panted as he sat up.

"We're gonna have to take care of that..." Luke pointed out, pulling his machete out of its sheath. I sighed, edging towards the door and gripping the handle, looking at Luke. "On three..."

He nodded. "One... two... three!"

I yanked the door open and the walker slumped forward, still stuck in the seatbelt. Chase gagged at the smell that came out of the car. I grimaced as well. It smelled like that walker was rotting in that car since... well, since the outbreak started, if I had to guess.

Luke gripped his machete tightly before slicing the walker in the head, killing it. Its snarls ceased immediately and it slumped over as Luke yanked the machete out of its head. We soon got the car out of the way, rolling the walker's body off of the road as well. Now it was clear enough for the truck to get through, thankfully.

I found a gas can lying on the road. I checked for any signs of walkers near it before picking the can up. It felt a little full. Good, now we have extra gas for the van. Maybe we might even be able to find Anne... I hope so, at least...

I turned on my heel and headed back to the van with Luke and Chase, holding up the can of gas for Nick to see. I saw him smile a bit behind the window. I went to go and fill up the tank, putting the empty can in the back as soon as I was done. At least the van can run longer now.

I then climbed back in with Chase and Luke, being careful of avoiding stepping on anyone as Nick started the car up and drove down the road. I just hope that we wouldn't have to push some more cars outta the way for a while. Maybe we could find some supplies for the baby soon.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

The six of us walked down the empty road side by side. The car buildup had dissipated the further we went down the road, but I didn't see any sign of any stores anywhere. The road had a couple patches of ice here and there, but none of us has slipped on any. Yet.

Windrun trotted between Clair and I. I notice him going to sniff my hair, but I held a hand up, stopping him. "Ah, don't even think about it." I warned.

The horse just snorted at that. "Is my face and hair tasty to you or something?" I asked him. Of course, he just stared silently at me.

Clair just shrugged. "Maybe he likes the taste." she suggested with a chuckle.

I rolled my eyes, quietly grumbling to myself as I looked back forward. I noticed Clementine narrowing her eyes. "Do you guys see that?"

"See what?" Kenny asked.

"That. Up ahead." With AJ in one arm, she used her other arm to point forward. I looked ahead and squinted my uncovered eye. Wait... I could see something up ahead in the distance. It looked like a building.

"Think that might be a clothes store?" Kenny asked.

"Could be a clothes store, could be a gift shop... it might not even be a store." Clair shrugged. "We're gonna have to get a closer look, then." I said.

As we neared the buildinig, I could see a sign hanging above it. It read 'Marcy's'. "Think this place'll have anything?" I asked, glancing up at it.

"Only one way to find out." Clair said as she headed over to the window, which was covered in grime, dirt, and ice. She managed to dust some away and peer inside. I did as well. It was pretty dark in there, but I could make out several clothes racks and maybe a couple boxes or so. I didn't see any walkers... but just because I couldn't see any doesn't mean that there wasn't any in there.

"Who's going in?" Clementine asked.

"We don't know what's in there, so you should stay out here with AJ. We still can't trust this lunatic here." Kenny jabbed his thumb at Perry. "So I'm gonna keep an eye on him if he tries anything."

"Then I'll go in there." I volunteered.

"I'll go in, too." Clair added. "Windrun can stay out here."

"Good, then he can't lick my face, that way." I remarked, folding up the fur blanket and placing it on Windrun's back. "If anythin' goes wrong in there, give a holler." Kenny told us as he gave us a flashlight that was in our supply bag. I nodded as I prepared to open up the door, grabbing my knife and having it ready. Clair had her bow and arrow ready as well as I cautiously opened the glass door. Thankfully, no walkers leapt out at us.

The two of us slipped into the store as I turned on the flash light, shining it through the area. There were several items littered about on the floor. I pushed an empty cardboard box out of the way with my foot as we stepped inside.

Clair had the string pulled back on her bow just in case as she headed down to one end of the small building. I went to examine the other end for any signs of danger.

I examined some stands, which had a couple boxes with some souvenirs. I wasn't surprised that anyone hadn't taken them, since they probably wouldn't do any good, now.

I also found a few candy bars. I stuck them into my bag as I searched for more. I found a couple blankets lying about. Those could be used to keep us warmer. I folded them up and set them into my bag before heading to check out the clothes.

There a few jackets missing off the hangars, but there was quite a few clothes left. I picked up a couple long sleeved shirts. They seemed large enough for any of us to wear. I just hope these are one of those thermal shirts. Keeping an eye out, I kept my hand on my knife handle as I edged over to a coat rack. Nothing lunged out at me, so I checked what coats were left.

A lot of people must have came through here when it was warmer, so either they didn't think they'd need them, or maybe they took a couple to be prepared. Either way, there still were a few coats to go around.

I picked up a dark blue parka and examined it. This could work... and it had a couple pockets on the inside to store a few things in.

I slipped it on. Hm, it fit me pretty well, and it made me feel warmer. Now I just had to find some coats, or any type of warm clothing, that could help keep the others from getting cold.

* * *

**Clair's POV**

I kept my bow and arrow drawn as I peeked my head around a corner, seeing no threats in this row. I cautiously walked down it, looking for any types of supplies we could use. I was used to searching alone for a while, but now that these people are with me, I'd better get used to searching with a group.

There were a couple windows that were providing me a bit of light, since Anne had the flashlight.

I found a couple cans of soup, so I stored them in my bag. There was also a couple packets of crackers in a box, so I picked them up quickly. Wonder what Anne found on her end?

As I rounded another corner, I found a single walking corpse, so I stood a good distance away before aiming, pulling my bow and arrow back as it turned its attention to me. When it was looking at me, I let go of the string and the arrow zipped through the air, piercing it right through its skull.

The corpse collasped to the ground, its wheezing and groaning ceasing immediately as it landed on the tile floor with a thud. Once I knew it was completely dead, I approached it and grabbed the arrow as I pressed my boot against the head, yanking it out. I grimaced a bit at the smell before I resumed my search, placing the arrow back in the quiver I had on my back.

I found a couple racks that had some baby one pieces on some hangers. My eyes softened as I glanced at them. That baby could use a couple of these... that blanket can't be the only thing to keep him warm.

I picked a couple boys' onesies off the rack that seemed to be AJ's size. I even found a couple packages of diapers that could fit in my bag.

When I headed into another row, I was lucky enough to find a first aid kit. I opened it up and found a bit of medical supplies in it, such as gauze, anti-septic, band-aids, anything else a first aid kit would need. Guess we were lucky to find this place first.

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I only found a few things that we could use over here. Maybe I should check the other end of the store...

I headed around a corner to keep searching, finding a couple tall shelves that were mostly empty. I found a box of ammo, but no damn gun. I quietly swore, shaking my head as I picked the ammo up and put it in my bag. I walked down the row and prepared to head to another when a walker suddenly lunged out at me, surprising me.

"Oh shit!" I swore as I reacted as fast as I could, grabbing it and trying to force it away from me. The smelly, rotting corpse snarled and hissed as it tried to grab me, gnashing its jaws to try and get to me.

I gritted my teeth as I tried to reach for my knife, but the walker was persistent. I was starting to lose my footing, so I got an idea and rammed it into the shelf next to me to force it back, grunting as I did.

The walker hissed as I did that. I tried ramming it into the shelf again to hold it back. It just snarled even more.

"Anne?!" I heard Clair call. She came rushing around a corner about ten to fifteen feet away and froze seeing the walker. "Shoot it! Shoot it!" I exclaimed, starting to lose my grip on it.

Clair quickly got her bow and arrow ready, aiming at it, but she didn't let go of the string!

"I can't get a clear shot!" she told me with wide eyes.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed. She rushed to grab the tomohawk she had while I struggled to get my knife.

Suddenly, a pair of bound hands appeared over the walker's head and held it by the neck with their arms away from its jaws. PERRY?!

My eyes widened as Perry forced the living corpse away from me. "Kill it! Kill it!" he told me frantically as he held the walker in place as it struggled to break free and bite him. Quickly snapping out of my stupor, I grabbed my knife and ran to the walker, stabbing it in the head. Its jaw went slack as I yanked the hunting knife out and it slipped out of Perry's grasp, collasping on the floor.

I panted as I regained my breath. Perry stood there breathing heavily as he looked down at the walker. Clair stood there in surprise before approaching us. "T... Thanks..." I told Perry, who simply nodded in reply as he checked himself for bites. "You didn't get bit, did you?" I asked cautiously.

He shook his head. "N-No. I didn't. I kept my fingers away from it."

Clair walked over to Perry and checked for any bites. "He's right. He's not bitten." she confirmed.

"Wait, a sec, what are you doing in here?" I asked the man. "I-I heard you screaming, so I rushed in." he answered.

"HEY!" Oh great...

Kenny stormed in with an enraged expression as he aimed his gun at Perry. "What'd I say?! I said stay put!"

"Kenny, no!" I stopped him. "He saved me from being bit!"

The man glowered at Perry. "Is this true?!"

"I saw it happen." Clair told him, coming to my side. "I couldn't get a clear shot without risking shooting Anne, then he came out of nowhere and pulled the walker away."

Perry nodded frantically. Kenny glared at him before slowly lowering his gun. "You better fuckin' watch it next time..." Kenny warned.

Perry remained silent as he watched Kenny walk away from him. Kenny then walked over to me. "What'd you find?"

Still trying to recover from the surprise, I showed him what I found. "I found some blankets... little food... and there's a couple jackets over there that might fit you and Clem."

"I found some stuff for the baby." Clair added. "Good... AJ's gonna need whatever we can get him." Kenny replied. Kenny then picked up a bag of Cheetos on one of the shelves I shoved the walker into earlier. "Find any guns, here?"

I shook my head. "No, not yet."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Shit..."

"I did find ammo, though. For the guns you and Clem have."

"Thanks." Kenny nodded as he kept his eye on Perry. Clair and I resumed our search as I picked the couple of jackets off the hangars.

Eventually, we met up again at the front of the store showing what else we found. Thankfully, we found a little can of baby formula and some cans of baked beans, as well as a couple packets of ramen.

"This all we could find?" Kenny asked.

"Yeah." Clair sighed while I put my knife back in its sheath. We stepped out of the store and I squinted while my eyes adjusted to the light. Clem was waiting by Windrun with AJ in her arms. "Did we get what we needed?" she asked us.

I nodded, turning the flashlight off. "Yeah. We ran into a bit of trouble, but we managed." I then handed her one of the blankets I found. "Here. It's for AJ."

She gratefully took it and wrapped the baby up in the cloth, providing an extra layer of warmth. I also handed her one of the jackets. "And this is for if you get cold." I added.

Clair put some of the supplies she found into the pack on Windrun's back while Kenny adjusted the rope that kept Perry's hands bound.

We then set off down the road together again, leaving the abandoned store behind.

I just hope this stuff we found would be enough to last until we get to somewhere safe... hopefully a little shack, or at least some kind of shelter. We can't let AJ be exposed to the cold like this for too long. Hell, we can't let any of us be exposed to this weather for too long.

Maybe the next place we stop at could be a house, or a van, or at least something to block the wind out. Maybe we might find the others there? I hope we do...


	41. Chapter 41

**Thank you, The Writer's Day, for helping me with this chapter.**

**I don't own the Walking Dead or any of its characters.**

**I only own Anne Marshall**

* * *

**Tess's POV**

I held my baby close to me as Nick drove the van down the road. It had been at least one or two hours since we last stopped, and it was getting pretty cramped in here.

Becca was curled up in one corner being silent while Sarah was quietly staring at the floor.

I wasn't aching anymore, but even walking on my own seemed to be the most life-sucking task of my life. I've never felt so gross and tired...

I knew that women were very tired after giving birth and would need rest, but the 'rest' option wasn't really available at the moment. Hope yawned in my arms, whimpering a little.

"Shh..." I shushed her softly, wishing I could put her down in a crib. I'd been holding her for so long after she was born and I just knew she was uncomfortable. She needed something soft to lie on. She couldn't just lay in my arms the whole time.

I sighed, leaning my head back. Sleep was uneasy for all of us in this fucking van.

Nick stopped the van at a snowless spot. He turned around in his seat. I took a quick glance outside of the window. We were at a 7/11 gas station.

"We should stop here and stretch out. Anyone have to piss while we fill up?" Nick asked to all of us. "Me." Dylan replied from where he sat.

"Kay. First we need to check round the area for any walkers." Luke said as he opened his door. "Stay here, Tessie." Nick ordered me as he went with Luke. "Bonnie, fill up."

I lightly glared. I clearly wasn't in a walking state. I still felt exhausted from giving birth to my daughter. Becca was still being quiet. Ever since her sister's death, she hasn't spoken much like she used to.

As Bonnie filled up the tank and empty cans with whatever gas was left over, the van was quiet.

Dylan began to fidget. "Come on, come on..." he muttered, tapping his foot. It was then Luke and Nick returned to the van. "All clear. We took out three or four of them." Luke informed.

One by one, we exited the van. I was by far the slowest with help from my boyfriend.

"You okay?" Nick whispered in my ear, holding my elbows to keep my upright. I shivered against him in reply. I was not okay; every step felt nauseating. "I feel like I have motion sickness or something..." I told him quietly.

"Hey, Tess? You want me to hold Hope?" Emily offered me. I gazed down at my daughter. She was rubbing her eyes with her hands, making small grunts.

Nick nodded against my temple. "Go ahead, Tess."

I sighed, a small fog escaping from my lips, and held out the baby for my sister to take. My red-haired sister eagerly took the infant and cradled her carefully, making sure not to drop her. I was slowly nudged forward by Nick, embraced by him the whole way. We headed into the gas station together. It was dark, with a musty smell in the atmosphere. "We made sure this place is clear." Luke told us, easing some of our anxieties. I held onto a shelf to help maintain my balance. "I... I hope we can find antibiotics."

Nick made a nest of blankets on the floor and sat me down on it. "Here, babe. Lay down..."

"Thanks..." I told him quietly as I rested. Dylan went to the restroom while Bonnie and Emily looked for something to make a makeshift crib. I tried to focus on resting, but my stomach kept churning. Like I had to-

"Ughhh!" I choked as I vomited right there on the blankets. Sarah gasped. "T-Tess?!"

I grimaced at the mess I made. I coughed, tears coming to my eyes from the acidic feeling in my throat. Nick hurried over to pull me up. "Holy fuck, are you okay?!" he asked me.

I wiped away some bile from my mouth. "I... I don't feel good." I rasped out, placing a hand on my forehead. He looked at me with concern. "You should rest..."

"I just tried..." I murmured out, looking at the blankets.

Ugh, no way I'm sleeping on that.

Nick noticed, so he gathered up the blanket and folded it up, avoiding the vomit. "I think Tess is having some after-effects of giving birth..." Chase commented. Luke held me upright to keep me steady, letting me lean on him. "She needs medicine. And proper food. Look, y'all, see if you can find anything that could help her."

Chase started digging through what food and meds we had as Dylan came back. "Alright, what's going on?" he asked.

"Tess is sick, and she's most likely gonna get vomit all over the place if we don't give her meds for her 'after-birth' sickness." Chase informed as Dylan knelt down by him. I went into a coughing fit, covering my mouth with my hands. Ugh, I needed a shower so bad...

Dylan grimaced at me. "I hope...we don't have to...you know." He mutters in worry to his brother. Luke hisses at them.

"Hey! It's NOT going to be like that. Not again..." Luke trailed off, his expression falling. My heart sank at the mention of... earlier events. It seemed like it all just happened... it replayed over and over in my head sometimes. I looked down sadly.

Nick sighed as he rose with the dirty blankets. "I'll be right back, baby."

He then walked off. I couldn't help but think of Rebecca. What happened to her... I was worried it would happen to me...

It was then Chase handed me something. "What is this?" I inquired, looking the bottle over. "Tylenol. If you have a headache, it could help." he answered.

"I don't have a headache, but... it might work..."

Luke glanced at the Tylenol. "Nah, she needs something stronger." he disagreed, taking the bottle from my hands. Chase sighed. "Well, what do you suggest would be good for a vomiting no-longer-pregnant lady?" he retorted.

"Something way stronger than some headache-fucking-medicine!" Luke shot back, throwing the bottle back at him. "Antibiotics! Fever reducers! Hell, maybe getting her clean will be a great step forward..."

I widened my eyes. Luke wasn't one to just blow up like that...

"Luke, calm down." Bonnie suggested, a hand on her hip. "Come on. Sit down and eat something... We're all on edge. You need to relax." Bonnie added, tossing him a granola bar.

"Right, right... sorry... I don't think I've slept at all in two days..." Luke apologized. "I think in about two hours, we all pile up in the van and drive until we find a decent place to rest up in. A place we can stay in for the winter."

I couldn't argue with that. "And if that place is filled with walkers? What do we do then?" Dylan asked. "We take care of them." Luke replied. "And what if they're too much? We'll have to find a different place." Dylan crossed his arms. "Plus, we still have the others to look for."

"Does Tess seem to be in a position to wait?" Luke argued, gesturing to me. I looked down guility, feeling dread wash over me. "Fuck..." Dylan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Chase cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Dyl, but Luke's right. If we keep travelling with Tess in this state, she might not make it... and we need her for the baby. We need to take risks."

Dylan paced a bit. "... alright. But if we wait too long, I'll go out there and look for Anne myself."

"We're just gonna have to hunker down for the winter, Dylan. I'm sorry. But until Tess is in shape again, we're staying wherever is stable." Luke said with an air of finality.

That's when Nick came back, the soiled blankets out of his hands.

"Don't worry, hon." He directed toward me, running a hand over my head, "We'll get you rested and better in no time..."

"Thanks, Nick..." I muttered. Luke explained to Nick that we would be leaving to settle at a house in a bit, which he agreed to wholeheartedly. Dylan, however, didn't look too happy about the idea. I understood that he wanted to find his girlfriend, but... As much as I missed her, Anne had a smart girl and a very strong man with her. She was going to be fine.

I groaned, feeling a bit nauseous. "Did you guys find a crib for Hope...?"

"Sorry, babe... but no..."

Emily cradled my baby in her arms. "We're doing the best we can, Tess."

Sarah offered her blanket. "Here... maybe she could sleep on this...?"

"Maybe so..." Bonnie said, taking it. "Thank you, Sarah."

Sarah just nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. Becca just slumped over in the corner with one arm draped over her knee. Nick sat down next to me, rubbing my shoulder. I closed my eyes... hoping to rest...

* * *

As soon as I closed my eyes, it seemed like seconds passed before I opened them again. Everyone was packing up.

Did two hours already pass?

I yawned, slowly pushing myself up. "Come on, Tessie." Nick eased me up, wrapping me in a blanket. Then he lifted me up, bridal style. I groaned, leaning against his shoulder. "Is it... time to go already?" I said, pausing to yawn in mid sentence.

"Yeah... we gotta go now, Tess. Find another place to stay." Nick carried me outside as we headed outside. He placed me in the van, placing me in his lap. Luke was driving this time. Dylan relucantly climbed in with Chase, then with Sarah and Becca. Bonnie climbed into the passenger's seat up front. My sister came in last as she held my child in her arms before Chase shut the doors behind us.

I took deep breaths as I fell asleep again.

I even felt Nick place his lips on my cheek as I drifted off...

* * *

**Anne's POV**

I adjusted the bag on my shoulder, feeling the weight of soup cans and water. We'd collected so much in the past few days, we just needed shelter now. Winter was going to get worse and if we couldn't find at least some kind of shelter or something... then... Clem, AJ...

I shook the thought out of my head. We needed to focus on finding shelter.

Windrun tried licking me again. "Would you stop that, already?!" I groaned at the horse. Clair chuckled at me. "He's warming up to you. "

I grumbled, rolling my eye. Clementine was walking alongside me, carrying AJ. Kenny kept a stronghold on Perry behind us. He didn't trust him, even after...

I didn't know what to think of Perry, now. I mean, he saved my life back there, but he still mumbles to himself every now and then about 'Linda' and 'keeping us safe'...

"We need to settle down somewhere." I called to Kenny. "Maybe stay for a little bit."

Kenny glanced back at me. "Kenny, did you hear me?" I asked.

"Yes! I heard you! Find a place to settle down." He shook his head, keeping his grip on Perry. Clementine quickened her pace and came to my side as she carried AJ in her arms. "Hey, Clem." I greeted with a smile. She returned the gesture, shivering slightly.

AJ cooed in her arms. "Is AJ doing okay?" I asked her, earning a nod in reply. "We should probably find some sort of shelter. We don't know when a blizzard will hit us again." she pointed out. "At least until the snowing dies down a bit? We still gotta find Luke and the others." I reminded.

"We'll see." the older man distractedly said, squinting his one good eye. Perry stumbled on his feet. "Hey, quit stallin'." Kenny frowned. The man mumbled to himself, "Linda, I-I didn't mean to..."

"For God's sake, quit ramblin'!" Kenny spat.

Perry flinched. "G-Gotta help them..."

Kenny lightly pushed him. Perry stumbled on his feet. "Kenny, take it easy on that guy." Clair told him. Kenny didn't reply, though he glared at her out of the corner of his eye. Then he shook his head at her before glancing back at me. "So, Anne, you good?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm good." I nodded. Truth be told, I was a little worried. I sighed, feeling another shiver racking through me. AJ whimpered a bit, but Clementine comforted him.

"House." Perry suddenly mumbled. Kenny lightly grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back. "What did I say about talking to yourself!?"

Clair frowned at the grown man. This treatment was going on for so long, it was starting to get annoying to all of us. Why couldn't Kenny just leave him alone!?

"Open your mouth one more time! I DARE you, boy." Kenny threatened, leaning in close to a frightened Perry.

Before I could defend Perry, Clementine tugged on my sleeve. "Anne."

I paused and glanced down at the younger girl. "What is it?"

"A house. Up on that hill." She was pointing at something in the distance. I looked up in the distance and narrowed my eye. There _was_ a house... I couldn't tell if there was anything surrounding it, though.

"I'm gonna shut you up myself-!" Kenny began to shout as he rose his hand to hit the younger man.

"KENNY!" Clementine shouted. Kenny stopped. "What is it?!" he asked a bit too harshly.

"There IS a house in the distance!"

"I don't see no damn house!" Kenny snapped. Perry shook his head. "Walk further." he murmured. With a deadpan expression, I pointed ahead. "Look AHEAD, Kenny. Top of that hill, there's a house clear as day."

This time, Kenny took the time to actually look away from Perry and squint his only eye to see the house. Then every trace of anger washed away and his expression lit up joyously.

"Holy fuckin' shit! We're saved... how much ammo we have, Clair?"

"Well, based on the ammo Anne and I managed to find, we have about two boxes worth. Plus, I have my bow and arrow, so that counts." she noted.

"Good. Be ready in case there's people here." Kenny advised. "We don't know if there are any there, so if they're hostile, we gotta be prepared."

"Just take it easy if there are people here and if they're unarmed." I said.

"They might have food..." Clem suggested. "We could give them some in exchange for shelter. If there's people..."

I smirked at her. Good plan...

"And if there's walkers, we clear the place out. And if the place is a bust, we find another house." Kenny said as we began to approach the hill. "Okay, Kenny." I sighed out. Clementine lagged behind, knowing to keep out of danger with a baby.

"The horse stays behind, too."

"You'll be surprised at how Windrun can handle himself. He's killed some corpses with just his hooves." Clair informed us.

"Then he can stay with Clem." Kenny said. Clair sighed, leading him to Clementine. Windrun shook his mane as she did. Clair stroked his neck softly. "It'll be okay. You watch the girl while we're gone. Okay? I'll try to find some sort of food for you."

Windrun smelled Clementine's hat.

Clair chuckled as she moved away. "As long as he doesn't try to eat my hat, I'm okay with him." Clementine said. Kenny actually cracked a smile at that.

"Watch yourselves." Kenny ordered Clair and I. I nodded at that as the house finally came into a much clearer view. Clair drew back her bow, an arrow ready to shoot. I grabbed my hunting knife and held it at the ready as Kenny slowly approached the door with a gun drawn and keeping Perry close at bay.

Kenny then reached for the door handle and opened it. The hall was littered with old food wraps that looked to have been collecting dust for months. He knocked on the wall to see if any certain snarls and groans would respond to it.

... Nothing.

Still, we were cautious. I took a deep breath as I approached a staircase, ready for anything. Kenny checked out the foyer and Clair made sure nothing was up in the kitchen. I cautiously crept up the stairs with my knife drawn, the floorboards quietly creaking under my feet.

I knocked on the wall. Nothing. Same thing with the bedrooms. Nothing.

"All clear!" I called."Same!" Clair replied distantly from the room she was in downstairs.

Kenny was busy making a racket with pots and pans. "HOLY SHIT, JACKPOT!"

I jumped, my heart almost beating out of my chest at the sudden noise. I sighed, calming myself down before heading towards the noise. Kenny was in the process of raiding the cabinets, where the food was stocked away. It was at least a whole three months worth of food...

My eye widened. "Holy shit..." I commented.

"Swear." Clair said as she walked past me.

"Huh?" I asked.

"I don't really like people swearing." Clair told me. "Clementine was like that back at the beginning." Kenny said over his shoulder.

Clementine... She was still outside!

"I'm gonna go check on her." I said before quickly heading out. Clementine was shivering. Windrun was huffing, scraping his hooves against the ground. AJ was starting to sniffle.

"It's all clear in here." I informed her. "You can come in."

Windrun trotted up to the porch. "Uh... Kenny, Clair, should we bring the horse in?" I called. "It's gonna get cold out there."

"...I'm not cleaning up his shit." Kenny grumbled. I sighed and allowed the horse to come in. His hooves click-clacked on the floor as he came inside. He then sniffed my hair.

"Would you quit it?" I groaned at him.

Clair chuckled, petting his neck. "Let's just get situated."

"Hey, Anne, I've checked upstairs in the rooms for walkers, so see if you can find anything." Kenny advised.

I slipped my bag off my shoulder. "Look at all these food wraps." I mused, lightly kicking one around with my foot. "Guess whoever was here before didn't care to clean up." Clementine commented.

I dragged myself up the stairs, sighing. "We'll have enough to go through the winter. Hopefully..." I added with a murmur. I cautiously opened up a door, revealing what looked to be a teenager's bedroom.

Posters of past celebrities were hung up on the wall, covering nearly every inch of the cotton white colored walls. An unkempt bed sat at the wall across from me. I sighed. I wish I could sleep in my own bed. I checked the room for any signs of danger with my knife drawn, then I checked under the bed, but nothing was there.

I walked toward the closet to see the same result. I sighed with relief as I relaxed. I decided to go through some of the things in this room. Seeing a bookshelf, I headed over to check it out. I set my focus on a small jar. I opened it to smell something funny, causing me to grimace. "Ugh...what is this stuff?"

I quickly closed the jar. Something told me that I didn't wanna find out...

I decided to check out some of the books on the shelf. "Huh. Harry Potter." The hype for these books was high back then. Hm, wonder if anyone reads 'em now... Guess whoever lived here before kept them. I sighed and sat down on the bed. Ooh, comfy!

At first, I tested it out a bit, then a smile graced my lips as I laid down on my back, folding my arms behind my head. Oh man, this felt _so_ good after sleeping on the cold, hard ground for days.

I stared up at the ceiling. I wonder who lived here before? Were they like any other teenager?

The house wasn't completely quiet; I could hear the faint voices of the people downstairs. But it was nice to be in a moment where Kenny wasn't stressing do hard with that temper of his.

I don't know how long I'd laid there, but it seemed like hours before I could hear something.

My eyes opened, the sound coming from the empty closet. I jumped into a sitting position, furrowing my eyebrows. What was that noise?

I gripped my hunting knife in my hand before cautiously edging towards the closet. Once I was close enough, I yanked it open. There was nothing but a dresser and a few hangers. I sighed, moving around and finding the source of the noise in the third drawer. I rose an eyebow, finding some sorta radio in the drawer. What the hell?

There was static coming from it...

"KENNY!" I shouted.

* * *

**Dylan's POV**

I tapped my fingers against my knee as Luke drove down the road. "See anything yet?" I asked impatiently.

Nick spoke up from behind me, "Hey, just chill, man."

"How can I chill?" I frowned. We were on the road with just half of our group now with no idea where the others were! How was I suppose to relax?

"Anne's gonna be okay. Kenny might be the angriest sonuvabitch I've ever met-"

"Hotshot, how about you stop talking because you have no room for it." Bonnie interrupted, using Tess's nickname. Nick glared at her. "How about you just shut-"

Becca sighed angrily and rose her voice, "Oh my god, SHUT UP!"

We all looked at her with surprise at her outburst. She finally spoke?!

Tess woke up, startled. Nick held her head against his shoulders. Becca took a deep breath and laid her head on her knees, going silent again. Hope was startled by Becca's outburst and began to whine, but Emily quietly shushed her and rocked the baby a bit.

Luke shook his head, sighing out loud as he drove. "I know we're all tired, okay, but let's try and keep our heads... no more shoutin', kay?"

Says the guy who yelled at us earlier...

I sighed out loud myself, leaning my head against the wall before looking out the back window. Trees flew by us in a blur as we rode down the road. I could even see a stray walker staggering about. It looked our way as we passed by, but the van was too fast for it and it just stumbled as it became nothing more than a speck in the distance.

Wherever we were headed, I wasn't so sure about it. We might end up having to sleep another night in the van if it's a bust. Who knew if the next shelter we were on our way to would even protect us from the weather?

* * *

**Anne's POV**

Kenny bounded up the stairs at my voice. "Anne?! What's wrong?!"

I turned around with the radio in my hand. "I found this... I heard it come on in the closet." I told him as I walked over to the older man. Kenny took it from my hand. "Did anyone say anything?" he questioned.

I shook my head. "No. All I heard was static when I found it."

He slowly pressed the button and took a deep breath. "Hey! Anyone there?" he asked.

We heard static again and we held our breaths. After a long moment, no one replied. Kenny sighed, placing the talkie in his pocket. "Guess the other parts in here somewhere. It looks like I can get a signal out there... wouldn't risk it though..."

I sighed. "Dammit..." I muttered, shaking my head.

Kenny then looked around the room and when he went over to the shelf, he found a couple of old Batman books. "... He was always blabbering about his favorite superheroes..." he said to himself sadly.

I rose an eyebrow. He caught me looking and immediately looked away, clearing his throat. "My son. Duck. Dumb as a bag of hammers, but... god, that kid was my life."

"Oh... I'm, uh... Sorry." I said, not really knowing what else to say.

I headed over to the shelf, checking out some more of the books to try and find a way to change the subject. Hey, there's some of those old superhero comics lying on the shelf! Some of them looked pretty old... maybe from when Kenny was younger?

Kenny reached out and grabbed them, handing the stack of books to me. I widened my eye a bit. "Go ahead. Here. You can read 'em."

"Uh..." Before I could say anything else, we heard a casual, female voice coming from the doorway.

"Mind telling me what the hell you're doing in my place?"


End file.
